Out of the Flames
by theamerican91
Summary: After nearly a decade of world peace, Wonder Woman finds herself caught in a mystery involving a murdered ambassador, a vengeful cult, and a mute orphan girl. As Diana attempts to uncover the truth while her happy life begins to unravel, she realizes she has to seek the help of a former love interest who might be the only one who can solve the mystery. Cover art by annaoi.
1. Era of Peace

**Note this story is set in the DCAU ten years after Divided We Fall. Basically the last season of JLU with the Legion of Doom and return of Darkseid never happened in this continuity. However not long after the Justice League defeated the Luthor-Brainiac hybrid, the Joker kidnapped and tortured Tim as seen in Batman Beyond. Our story is set about a decade later...**

* * *

><p><em>Kasnia-2003<em>

"_Do your worst child. I'm immortal, I can't be killed," Vandal Savage taunted as he flashed an evil grin.  
><em>

_Audrey smiled wickedly at the challenge._

"_We'll see," she assured as her men dragged their prisoner away while she followed them._

_Diana and Batman stood side by side to watch the scene that just unfolded before them. Neither wanted to say anything and instead just stared off into the distance as the sun began to rise. Diana suddenly grinned and turned to her comrade._

"_You know," she said with a knowing tone as her hair billowed in the wind. "We never did get to finish our dance."_

_Batman looked back at her coldly. Neither his posture nor his facial expression had changed at all._

"_I don't know what you're talking about," he denied calmly._

"_If you say so," Diana shot back before looping her arm under his. "But you're still taking me dancing."_

* * *

><p><em>Washington D.C.-2017<br>_

"…which is why Diana of Themyscira will be honored tonight by us!" the announcer spoke.

Diana smiled professionally as she sat with her hands in her lap. She wore a nice pantsuit with a skirt and her hair tied in a bun.

"A woman of extraordinary talents," the speaker continued. "She is a woman of many colors."

Diana scanned the crowd and caught eyes with a violet-eyed woman in the press corps. The woman winked at Diana, causing the Amazon to blush a little.

"A warrior. An ambassador. A member of the Justice League," the speaker listed Diana's accomplishments. "But most importantly of all, a peacemaker. Because of her efforts nearly a decade ago, the Fourth Kasnian Civil War ended, rushing a period what many have called 'the Era of Peace.' Since the end of that terrible war, the entire world has seen prosperity and lack of conflict thanks to this _wonderful_ woman."

Many in the crowd gave some small, polite chuckles.

"So tonight we honor Diana of Themyscira with the Presidential Medal of Freedom!"

* * *

><p>Diana nodded and smiled as the events went on throughout the night. She shook many hands and accepted many well wishes and even answered a few questions for the press corps. She really just wanted to get out though. The Amazon didn't like having to constantly watch what she said around people. After CADMUS, she and the League had learned the importance of public relations.<p>

"Mind if I do an interview?" a voice teased.

Diana smiled and turned to a woman who was over forty years old but still looked like she was in her early thirties.

"Well I don't know, Mrs. Lane-Kent. Doesn't your husband usually work with you?" Diana shot back. Lois smiled and took a seat at Diana's table.

"He's busy taking care of _other_ things," Lois hinted at.

"They're throwing a surprise party for me at the Metro aren't they?" Diana noted sharply.

"I didn't say anything," Lois replied while giving a wink. "Nothing escapes you, Goddess of Truth?"

Diana laughed at that jab.

"So," Lois asked and leaned in closer so she could whisper. "How are you and Mr. Dreamy?"

"Fine," Diana assured. "He's in Europe right now."

"Hmmm," Lois mused. "He couldn't make it huh?"

"He's busy with his job," Diana defended.

"Oh believe me, I've had to tell myself that all the time," Lois said sympathetically. "So how serious are you two right now?"

"Honestly I don't know but I'm in no rush."

"Easy for you to say," Lois joked. "Being granted with eternal youth makes you not have to worry about attracting a man."

"You're still beautiful Lois," Diana assured.

"I knew there was a reason why I have you as a friend," Lois quipped. "You help my ego when I'm feeling down."

Diana smiled softly as she took a sip of wine.

"How's the adoption coming?" she asked with uncertainty. Clark and Lois's inability to have kids together was a source of problems for them. They tried adopting but so far had met bureaucratic resistance.

"Still in limbo. The fact we both work full time worries them. Also I do have a reputation of always being in danger."

"They'll eventually realize you two will be great parents," Diana promised. "You'll have your own child one day."

* * *

><p><em>Few Hours Later-Metro Tower<em>

Diana shook off the feeling of her particles being torn apart and put back together as she found herself now standing inside the Metro Tower. She had received a call from Mister Terrific that told her an "emergency meeting" was to take place at the Metro Tower. The Amazon knew what the emergency meeting really was.

"SURPRISE!" voices shouted as Diana saw Wally, Shayera, and Clark all standing at the table out of uniform. There was a bunch of confetti and a large cake sitting in the middle of the table.

"You guys!" Diana said happily, pretending to be surprised.

"Lois told you didn't she?" Shayera said shrewdly with a little disappointment in her face.

Diana shook her head in defeat with a smile.

"I can't tell a lie," she admitted.

"Who cares?" Wally complained as he shifted slightly, his eyes darting to the cake. "It's the thought that counts!"

Clark stepped forward and pulled Diana into an embrace.

"Congratulations Di!" he greeted. "We're so proud of you!"

"Don't give me all the credit," Diana responded humbly while holding up the medal. "The way I see it, every medal I win is for all of us!"

"Yes but it was you who spearheaded the intervention into Kasnia," Shayera pointed out. "We just showed up to break things. And let's not forget your tough as nails ambassadorial skills in those closed diplomatic meetings. Face it Di, you're the star tonight. The rest of us were just the clean up crew."

Diana smiled at her friends. Their approval meant more than any medal or award she had received in the past decade. To hear her close friends acknowledge all her hard work was something she would never trade for anything else.

"Can you guys believe it?" Wally pointed out. "Decade ago we were dealing with supervillains trying to take over the world and now all we do is show up to ceremonies and help out in disaster relief."

"I still have to fight some villains in Metropolis," Clark shot back.

"Yeah but never on a global scale like the good ole' days," Wally mused with nostalgia. "After taking out that Brainiac-Luthor hybrid, life has been pretty easy for us. Clark and Lois are married, Shayera and John got hitched and are on kid number five-"

"Six," Shayera corrected, pointing to her belly.

"Linda and I are on our way to kid number two. J'onn's on Mars helping start that colony with NASA," Wally continued. "And now Di's dating one of the biggest rock stars in the world!"

"Ever heard of karma Wally?" Shayera asked. "Maybe the world decided to reward us for our efforts. These are the best of times after all. No villains, no invasions, and no major international conflicts going on. If we can somehow find a way to stop national disasters, we're going to have sixty plus heroes out of a job soon!"

* * *

><p>Diana gave a yawn as she entered the Themyscira Embassy located in Metropolis. Even Amazons would need rest and it had been a long night for her. She was half-surprised to find a light was still on upstairs but then she remembered Etta liked to work late. Quietly Diana walked up the stairs and entered the room to find her secretary typing frantically at the computer.<p>

"Working late Etta?" Diana asked. Etta squeaked in surprise and accidentally knocked the papers on her desk to the ground.

"Oh my!" Etta said as she awkwardly got out of her chair to try to pick them up. "I'm so sorry Madame Ambassador-oh and congratulations! I'm sorry I forgot-"

"It's alright Etta," Diana assured her nervous secretary. "And I told you to call me Diana."

"Sorry Ma'am," Etta apologized as she gathered up the files and put them neatly on the desk. "Duty first."

Diana smiled proudly. Although Etta was something of a nervous klutz, Diana liked her. She was a sweet woman. Etta was a thin, short woman about forty years old who had curly brown hair and thick glasses but a sweet smile. The only thing that bothered Diana about Etta besides her scatterbrained nature was the fact she wore way too much makeup. Nonetheless Etta was one of those people you could look at and trust immediately. That was why Diana hired her. She wanted someone not only she could trust working with but someone she could let her guard down in front of.

"Well Etta I know you like to work late but get some rest. If there's anyone who deserves the weekend off, it's you."

"T-thank you," Etta stuttered gratefully. "Also reminder on Christmas I'm still taking a few days off to see my father."

According to Etta, her father had suffered a medical condition and was on life support in a hospital in another state. Because of that, Etta had a habit of taking time off a lot to visit him which Diana didn't mind. She could always count on Etta to come back and catch up on her work even if she had to go without sleep for an entire week. The secretary was already half-way out the door before she turned around.

"Oh I almost forgot! You-know-who called by the way! You left your cell phone here."

"Thanks Etta," Diana replied and entered her own room. She quietly shut the door and took a deep breath. It had been a long day. She took off her heels in one hand while she undid her bun with the other. Rolling her neck around to loosen her muscles, she walked over to her cell phone which sat idly on her desk and picked it up. Quietly she dialed a number she had memorized by heart. The phone only rang once before it was picked up.

_"Hello?"_ a heavily Nordic accent asked.

"I thought you had a concert?" Diana teased.

_"Not until tonight,"_ he assured. _"I managed to watch you on the news. You looked beautiful today."_

Diana laughed.

"Thank you Erik," she replied.

_"Listen,"_ Erik explained over the phone. _"I might be able to catch a flight back to America tomorrow morning. I'll take you somewhere nice, away from the paparazzi so we can celebrate your accomplishment together."_

"That would be nice," Diana agreed. "I hate to hang up on you right now but I really need to get some rest and you got to get ready for all your fans."

_"Understood,"_ Erik agreed. _"I'll call you later. Love you."_

"Love you too," Diana said as she hung up her phone. She then took a deep breath and let herself fall in her bed. It was like what Wally had said earlier. Life was good. For once, it seemed okay to be happy and there were no problems in the world.

* * *

><p><em>Gotham City<em>

_"But most importantly of all, a peacemaker. Because of her efforts nearly a decade ago, the Fourth Kasnian Civil War ended, rushing a period what many have called 'the Era of Peace.' Since the end of that terrible war, the entire world has seen prosperity and lack of conflict thanks to this wonderful woman."_

"World peace my ass," Gianni muttered sarcastically as he heard the late night broadcast replay of the news. "Clearly the Prez hasn't been to Gotham."

"Yea," Tony laughed with him as he drove the truck down an abandoned alley in the middle of the night. "If only they knew all the goodies we were smugglin' into Gotham right now."

THUMP!

Tony hit the brakes at the sound of something hitting the roof of the truck. Gianni flew forward before being forced back by his seat belt, spilling his hot coffee on his lap.

"OWW! What the hell?" the thug complained.

"Somethin' just jumped on us!" Tony cried nervously as he looked up. Cautiously he pulled out a pistol from his waist.

"Well then we gotta check out," Gianni complained as he lifted up a shotgun and stepped out.

The two criminals slowly got out of the truck with their guns pointed in the air. The snow falling on them stung a little but they ignored it. Slowly on opposite sides they crept to the back of the truck, still keeping their guns pointed up ready to shoot anything.

"There's no way," Tony muttered. "This was kept secret!"

"Shut up!" Gianni called from the other side. "Stop being-ugh!"

"Gianni?" Tony called nervously as he spun around in a circle. Something was wrong.

"Answer me!" the thug ordered when he didn't hear from his partner.

"He won't be able to for a while," a voice explained.

Tony frantically turned around and saw perched above him was a shadowy figure hunched over.

"Batgirl!" Tony replied angrily as he aimed his gun to shoot. Something flew out of the shadow's hand and hit him in the wrist. He cried as the battarang painfully knocked the gun from his hands.

"Girl?" the figured asked and stepped into the light so Tony could see her better. She was about five-six in height and wore a batsuit that was mostly grey and black although there were hints of purple around it. Her blonde hair hung out of her cowl, and her blue eyes flared menacingly.

"Girl?" she asked again. "I'm Bat-_woman_! Not girl!"

The thug lunged at her. Batwoman easily dodged it.

"Seriously?" she asked in amazement. "I just took your friend out and beat you in a draw and you still think you can take me?"

Tony tried to punch at her again. This time she caught it and slowly twisted his arm as he tried to struggle to break free.

"Suit yourself," she said with defeat and hit him with her free hand square in the face.

* * *

><p>James Gordon coughed as he took a seat in his couch. Like the rest of his apartment, it was small and covered in mold. He coughed again as he stirred his tea. He felt his back stiffen up as well and tried to ignore the pain. The arthritis had gotten worse.<p>

"You know I retired six years ago," Gordon replied dryly when he felt a breeze behind him, indicating someone had entered through the window. "Bullock's the commissioner now."

"Yeah but he's not as good as a conversationalist as you," Batwoman retorted. "Besides, I think he keeps checking out my ass when I'm not looking."

"I hand-picked Harvey to replace me. He's a good cop."

"Not as good as you," Batwoman noted. "I can never get the drop on you."

"Well when you have Batman sneaking up and disappearing on you for twenty something years, your senses begin to sharpen," Gordon admitted. "How did it go tonight Stephanie?"

Batwoman took off her mask to show a young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"I whipped them," she explained. "Looks like Maroni Jr. won't be getting his Christmas gift any time soon."

"They'll find another way," Gordon assured. "The Maronis always love to smuggle weapons here. Hopefully you can figure out who the seller is."

"How are Babs and Dick?" she asked politely hoping to make small talk. She had come to Gordon to talk about something else but she wasn't ready to get on that subject yet.

"They're doing good," Gordon said happily. "Just got their Christmas card. Barbara told me she sent Bruce one as well."

"I'll make sure to check the mail," Stephanie said awkwardly. For awhile the two sat in an uncomfortable silence. The only sound was the hissing of the old radiator in the apartment. Finally Gordon cleared his throat.

"Why are you really here?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why are you here Stephanie?"

"You were the one who gave me the tip. I'm just here to tell you it worked out."

"But you could've just called," Gordon noted. "Why are you really here?"

Stephanie racked her brain to try to find another excuse but gave up. She might as well bring up what she wanted to talk to Gordon about in person.

"It's Bruce," she admitted. "He's been getting worse."

"Stephanie the man is over fifty years old. The human body can only take so much."

"I'm not talking about that," Stephanie assured. "I'm talking about his _habits_."

"He's still drinking?" Gordon grimly asked with a frown.

"Not only that but he's popping more pills like they're candy. He's becoming an addict."

"You know his leg gives him chronic pain," Gordon offered as an attempted justification.

"That doesn't give him the excuse to almost OD himself every night!" Stephanie complained. "When he first took me in six years ago it wasn't that bad. I mean he was always grumpy and moody and would spend a couple of hours drinking after patrol but now it has gone too far. He hardly goes out on patrol anymore and half the time he doesn't have the radio on to communicate with me while I'm out."

"Maybe he's just growing to trust you more and has decided to give you more leash," Gordon offered although deep down he knew it was a poor excuse.

"Since when does the Dark Knight ever give someone _carte blanche_ in his own city?" Stephanie countered.

Gordon didn't respond to that right away. He remained in deep thought for awhile before looking back at Stephanie.

"Why tell me this then?"

"You're the only one he'll listen to! He barely talks to Dick and Barbara and we all know how much he loves to keep in touch with the Justice League. You're the only one he still has somewhat of a normal relationship with."

Gordon stiffly got up and placed both of his hands on the young woman.

"Stephanie," Gordon whispered softly. "Bruce has gotten old. All the physical and mental pain he has endured his entire life has finally caught up to him. Sooner or later there will come a time when he can't do this any-"

"That doesn't mean he should just kill himself!"

"Let me finish," Gordon cut in sternly. "There will come a time when he will retire completely."

"He almost has," Stephanie complained. "You should see him. He doesn't seem to care for anything anymore except for his booze and narcotics. I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to mix them."

"He still cares for you," Gordon pointed out. "Did you ever consider that maybe he's stepping back because he realizes his legacy is in good hands?"

Stephanie looked at the old man, feeling unsure on whether to accept the compliment.

"In the last ten years, you are the best thing that has ever happened to that man. It's because of you he hasn't completely given up on this world yet."

Gordon then reached out a shaky hand and stroked her face.

"You want me to try to reach him Honey, I can't do that. But you can. You're the only one who makes him still find some sort of happiness in his life."

"Then he has a funny way of showing it," Stephanie replied bitterly. "It's getting late Gordon and I need to get some sleep. Good night."

Before Gordon could say anything, Stephanie had put her cowl back on and jumped out of the open window, taking off into the early morning sky.

"Bruce loves you Stephanie," Gordon whispered to himself. "You're the only one he has left."

* * *

><p><em>"I can still see him!" Tim cried while waving the gun.<em>

_"Tim it's okay!" Leslie pleaded, tears falling from her eyes._

_"Tim listen to me!" Bruce begged. "It's okay! He's gone! He won't hurt you again!"_

_Tim rubbed his other hand on his face. The scars from the Joker's surgery still framed his lips, giving him a permanent grin._

_"Don't you get it?" Tim laughed eerily. "I am him now! I am Joker Junior! I am the next Clown Prince of Crime!"_

_"No you're not!" Bruce denied. "You're Tim Drake! You're my son!"_

_"Son?" Tim snapped. "Son?!"_

_"Tim please put the gun down!" Leslie demanded._

_"You call me a son?!" Tim asked angrily. "You failed to save me!"_

_"I know I'm sorry! It was my fault!" Bruce apologized in desperation._

_"You failed to avenge what he did to me! You failed to kill him! I had to do it for you!"_

_"Tim please don't."_

_"I see how you look at me!" Tim said angrily. "You're disgusted with me! I saw it in your eyes when I killed the Joker! You're ashamed of me! You're afraid of what I've become!"_

_"Tim that's not true!" Bruce cried in desperation.  
><em>

_"I'm doing you a favor Bruce!" Tim offered sarcastically. "By blowing my own brains out I'll solve your problem. You won't have to be ashamed or embarrassed by me any longer! I'm releasing you of your burden!"_

_"Tim!" Leslie cried as the teenager turned the gun on his temple._

_"NO!" Bruce called as Tim pulled the trigger._

_BAM!_

"NO!" Bruce cried and jerked awake. He had fallen asleep at the Batcomputer. Right away he noticed pain in his leg as his body began to shake. Frantically he moved his hand around the dashboard and found to his disappointment an empty prescription bottle.

"Where is it?" he called madly as he sifted through more empty bottles that littered the desk.

His whole body now felt like it was in pain. Bruce continued to search around until he found one bottle that still had some pills in it. Joyfully he popped three in his hand and downed them. He closed his eyes and sighed in relief. It would kick in soon and he would feel a lot better. Hearing the sound of the Batpod coming in, he turned around and saw Batwoman speeding into the cave. Slowly, using his cane he got out of his chair but he had to put his free hand on the dashboard for support for a second. He had gotten up to fast and he could feel the blood laced with the chemicals rushing around his body. Closing his eyes to recollect his thoughts, he opened them to find Batwoman walking up to him.

"How was patrol?" Bruce asked coldly.

Stephanie looked at him as she took off the cowl. As usual Bruce's long hair and bushy beard were a mess. The hints of grey glistened in the low illumination of the cave along with his tired blue eyes. She knew he used to be a lot handsomer when he was younger and believed he still would be if he cleaned himself up. But instead she just saw an aging bitter man who could've easily passed for a junkie living on the streets standing in front of her.

"Fine," she said angrily. "Could've used your advice though. You were quiet on the comm tonight."

"I was busy," he muttered.

"Sure you were. I'm going to bed."

She only made it to the bottom of the stairs when she felt the need to call back at him with one final retort.

"You might want to shower too," she advised. "I can still smell bourbon on you."

* * *

><p>"So you will take the job?" the woman sitting in the chair asked. Behind her she had a large man standing guard and ready to protect her if needed. Across the table sat another man who ignored her question as he flicked his knife lazily in his hands. He wore a double patterned color armor of orange and black with an iron mask that only allowed his left eye to be visible.<p>

"Answer Madame Zara!" the big man demanded.

**"I'll take it,"** the armored man assured.

"You didn't even hear how much we would pay you," the woman, called Zara, noted. She had dark black hair and tinted skin that hinted to Mediterranean and Turkish origins. She wore a strange necklace and jewelry around her arms while wearing a skimpy silk dress. She looked like some sort of belly dancer or oriental priestess.

**"Let's just say, what you're asking me to do actually aligns with the interests of other parties I'm acquainted with,"** the armored man assured. **"But I still expect to get paid."**

"Then we have a deal Mr. Wilson."

**"Deathstroke,"** the armored man corrected. **"Now if you excuse me, I have an assassination to plan."**

The assassin got up and left the room. The woman then turned to her bodyguard.

"Tell the others the time has come," the woman ordered. "The Crimson Flame has been lit. Kasnia, Wonder Woman, and the world will all burn for their sins!"


	2. Merry Christmas

**Note the Bible Quote is found in the Gospel of Luke 15:32  
><strong>

* * *

><p><em>Kasnia-2003<br>_

"_Your Majesty," the guard bowed. "We have brought Vox."_

"_Bring him in," Audrey ordered. The guard bowed again as the doors opened. Two larger guards entered while holding a prisoner at their side. It was a tall man with scars around his eyes. He had a strange device around his neck. His whole body was a disheveled and bruised mess, indicating much abuse the past year. Queen Audrey looked at her prisoner with disgust before nodding to the two guards who then violently threw him to the ground._

_"You are fortunate that I am merciful enough to give you another voice box, considering you tried to take my kingdom from me."_

_Vox didn't say anything but looked at the queen calmly._

"_Are you wondering why I summoned you from your cell?"_

_Vox still remained silent, forcing the queen to explain herself._

"_Savage has broken free. I want to know how he did it."_

_The prisoner still said nothing but finally cracked a smirk._

"_You know, don't you?" Audrey demanded. "Tell me!"_

_Vox still said nothing and his smirk had become a gloating smile._

"_Where is he?!" she yelled and lost her bearing. "How did he escape? You helped him somehow! Tell me!"_

_Refusing to answer, Vox proudly stood in silence with his knowing grin, frustrating the queen to her breaking point._

"_Take him away," she ordered as she turned her back to him. She didn't want to see his smug face anymore._

"_**I don't know where Savage is**__," a robotic voice spoke from the neck brace. __**"But I do want to talk about something else."**_

_Audrey paused and turned around. Vox looked back at her with calm patience while her guards remained unsure what to do next._

"_**Alone,"**__ Vox specified. Audrey reluctantly looked around before nodding her head at her guards. All of them quickly bowed and exited the room quietly._

"_My time is precious, what do you want Vox?"_

"_**Colonel Vox,"**__ the man corrected her._

"_Not anymore, you lost that title."_

"_**And I'm interested in reinstating it,"**__ the man assured._

_The young woman laughed._

"_Why would I even consider that?"_

"_**Because you need me,"**__ Vox replied._

"_I don't need you!" she snapped. "I see where your loyalties lie! I don't need a traitor to tell me how to do my job!"_

"_**Others don't feel that way,"**__ Vox countered. Audrey snapped her head back at him._

"_What did you say?"_

"_**Even though I've been in prison your Majesty, I still hear things through the walls. These past few months have not been easy for your reign. Kasnia is on the brink of another civil war. So many factions pitted against each other and tearing our homeland apart."**_

"_I don't need you to tell me what goes on in my kingdom!"_

"_**Then you understand why it'd be in your interest to listen what I have to offer."**_

_Audrey folded her hands and frowned._

"_**I know you do not think much of me, but I can assure you I am a true patriot to my country. I was one of the leaders against Serbian hegemony mind you during the Second Civil War. I even lost my voice and have been forced to communicate through this crude device in the name of the country I love. Don't forget your father rewarded me for my sacrifices."**_

"_And you betrayed him by trying to usurp his rule!"_

"_**I was doing what I thought was for the glory of Kasnia!"**__ Vox countered. _

"_Glory? What glory?" Audrey demanded. "My father is now in a coma, my palace in ruins, and our reputation in shatters!"_

"_**Kasnia was and always has been on the brink of war since we broke away from Yugoslavia,"**__ Vox reminded. __**"I thought your father would be the one to unite our people but then he let himself become weak, especially during the Third Civil War. In trying to please the world he let his enemies survive."**_

"_What are you getting at?"_

"_**Kasnia needs a ruler who knows when to strike down their fist. A ruler who will not let themselves be bound to the whims of foreign nations. A strong ruler who can rule with respect and fear."**_

"_And you think you can be that ruler?" Audrey replied with disgust.  
><em>

"_**You misunderstood me your Majesty. I was referring to you."**_

_Audrey paused at the compliment. Or was it a compliment?_

"_**Everyone only sees you as the spoiled heiress but I disagree. I know what you did to Savage as punishment for trying to take your throne. How would the UN feel about those 'human rights' violations you committed against him? It is fortunate that he can completely heal from any wound and thus the physical evidence-"**_

"_Savage was different!" Audrey denied. "He deserved it! Besides he can't be killed!"_

"_**But we both know the truth,"**__ Vox reminded. __**"We know what lengths you are willing to go to keep your rule."**_

"_You're still stalling," Audrey snapped, brushing off the accusation. "What does this have to do with you?"_

"_**I offer you my services my Queen,"**__ Vox said and got to his knees. __**"Unlike your father, you are strong. You have the potential to finally bring stability to our country. I can be of some assistance. I'm still considered one of the leaders of the Black Hand-"**_

"_A bunch of militant, right-wing extremists who believe they should purge our own people," Audrey replied dismissively. "I know what your allies think we should do with the Sacrians and Muslims."  
><em>

"_**The Sacrians in the north don't see themselves as Kasnians**__!" Vox snapped angrily. __**"They have even allied themselves with the Northern Kasnian Resistance led by Nardoc! They are just remnants of the Turkish dogs that must be exterminated from our homeland! They don't even believe in our faith but instead practice that barbaric cult known as Zoroastrianism! You need to deal with them like how I dealt with the Serbs during the Third Civil War! Your father-"**_

"_I've had enough! Take him away!" Audrey called._

_The guards all rushed in and began to drag an angry Vox away._

"_**There will come a time when you need me!"**__ Vox yelled through his speaker. __**"You will need the support of the Black Hand and a military leader who can expel your kingdom of the filth!"**_

* * *

><p><em>Themyscira Embassy-Christmas Eve<br>_

Diana yawned and looked out the window. Even though Metropolis wasn't getting much snow this Christmastime there was still some sleet falling. She had been very busy that day though. Due to it being near Christmas, a lot of the ambassadors at the UN wanted to vote on some new issues before the holidays and the New Year. Unfortunately that meant Diana had to spend many hours up all night talking to people, going to meetings, and reading briefs and memos. Despite not requiring much physical strain, the work still exhausted her mentally. She may have been Wonder Woman, but she couldn't be in three places at once. Currently the Amazon mulled over whether she should put some work off for later and get ready for her Christmas Eve dinner with Erik when a loud knock startled her.

"Etta," Diana called in frustration knowing that Etta would only knock if a guest had arrived to speak to her. "I told you know visitors today."

"I'm sorry," Etta stuttered nervously as she stumbled through the door. "But it's _her_…"

Diana looked back up and saw staring back at her was her own mother.

"My Queen," Diana got up and frantically tried to brush the wrinkles in her pantsuit out before bowing down.

"Diana," Hippolyta snapped. "I told you when in private you don't need to be so formal."

"Sorry Mother," Diana smiled with a little embarrassment. "Force of habit."

Etta smiled awkwardly in the background and watched as the mother and the daughter stared at each.

"Etta I like to speak to my mother," Diana explained. Etta nodded and continued to stand in the doorway smiling.

"Alone," Diana emphasized.

"Oh!" squeaked Etta nervously as she walked out and closed the door behind her.

"Mother!" Diana said excitedly and walked up to embrace Hippolyta in a hug.

"Hera! You act like we don't see each other anymore."

"I'm sorry Mother," Diana replied. "It's just I've been busy lately and its Christmas-"

"Christ what?"

"Christmas, it's a Man's World holiday," Diana quickly explained. "Usually people spend it with family and loved ones."

"Well it looks like then I picked the right time to visit. And a visit that will bring such good news."

Diana looked at her mother bewildered.

"I would like it if you could take a seat."

Diana quickly complied and sat on the couch in her office. Hippolyta looked at her daughter with a proud smile on her face yet there also seemed to be a sense of sadness to it.

"What is it Mother?" Diana asked.

"I guess there's no way to delay it any further," Hippolyta admitted. "I'm giving up my crown."

"What?"

"The gods have decreed it's time for me to join them in Olympus now. My term of exile has been served."

Diana was totally speechless by the sudden bombshell. She had known her mother for over two millennia and now she was going to leave her just like that?

"You're leaving me?" Diana asked, trying to not hide the hurt in her voice. "I thought you were going to bring me some happy news."

Hippolyta smiled sympathetically.

"Daughter," Hippolyta cooed and took a seat next to her daughter on the couch. "You will still see plenty of me. I'll be sure to visit to make sure you're doing a good job as Queen of the Amazons."

"What?" Diana asked, snapping her head forward. Did she just heard the word "queen?"

"By the gods Diana!" Hippolyta replied, a little shocked by Diana's own surprise. "Surely you knew you'd be next in line for the throne?"

"The crown doesn't always pass down a bloodline," Diana corrected. "All the Amazons have a say in the successor."

"And they did. It was unanimous. They all agreed that you would be the perfect one to take my place on the throne. They all know you are the rightful heir."

Diana was still stunned by the news. A few minutes ago she worried about negotiating some water rights treaties with the UN and now her mother had proclaimed the crown would pass to her now.

"Well?" Hippolyta asked impatiently. "Are you glad?"

That seemed to snap Diana's focus back a little.

"I won't lie Mother, I am truly honored and humbled that you and our sisters want me to be the next queen. But at the same time I don't think I'm worthy-"

"Nonsense!" Hippolyta replied with an offended tone. "You are not only the greatest champion and ambassador we ever had but probably one of the greatest heroes to both Amazon and mankind!"

"But I was exiled from home."

"Which I ended!" Hippolyta reminded her daughter. "Do you honestly not think you are worthy of the title to be queen? Do you think our sisters and I made a mistake by nominating you?"

"No! Of course not!" Diana quickly assured. She of course did feel happy that she had been selected to be queen but at the same time so many things nagged at the back of her mind.

"Then why do you seem to be looking for any excuse to not accept the title? Why do I sense there's something you're not telling me?"

"It's just..." Diana began, unsure how to proceed. Her mother had grown used to living just with their gods and their sisters. She hadn't really formed strong bonds and relationships to others from the outside world. In fact Diana hadn't even told her mother about Erik yet.

"What about my friends?" Diana asked after a long pause.

"Oh, I see," Hippolyta nodded. "Forgive me for being insensitive. I forgot being here in Man's World you have formed strong bonds with many companions here."

"I'm just afraid I'm not ready to leave them yet," Diana quietly explained sheepishly. Hippolyta bowed her head with her eyes closed and didn't say anything for awhile that it unnerved Diana. She always hated when her mother remained silent to signify she was in deep thought.

"As a queen, I cannot lie I'm a little disappointed by your reluctance but as a mother, I will promise you that I will support you in whatever decision you make. You will always be my little sun and stars."

Diana smiled and let her mother pull her in an embrace. Diana couldn't help but let a few tears fall down her face.

"Can I have some time to think about this?" Diana asked.

"I do not officially give up my title until a year from now. You have until then to decide."

Hippolyta then broke away.

"However I warn you if you do not accept the crown, our sisters will be forced to select a new queen and your claim to the throne will be forfeit."

Before Diana could even think about that, the doors opened and in stumbled a nervous Etta.

"I'm so-sorry," Etta muttered. "But-"

"Etta I told you I wanted to talk to my mother alone!" Diana snapped.

"I know!" Etta pleaded. "I'm sorry but the Kasnian ambassador keeps calling. He's very insistent on speaking to you!"

"Tell him I'll speak to him when I'm ready," Diana replied back with disgust.

"I know but-"

""If he can't wait another five minutes for me to talk to him, then remind him of the last time I had to shut him up during the Kasnian Space Crisis."

Etta chuckled.

"That's a good one Ma'am."

"Etta!"

"Right, sorry!" the secretary said as she bumbled out of the room and shut the doors. Diana sighed and looked back at her mother who was looking at her with mild amusement.

"I will say you would be a good queen based on how you're able to make snap decisions and give curt orders."

"Don't try to flatter me Mother," Diana teased back.

"Well, I must get going," Hippolyta said as she stood up. "Remember Diana, you have a whole year to decide and whatever you choose I will support. It is your decision."

Diana embraced her mother tightly.

"Thank you Mother," Diana said quietly. "And Merry Christmas."

Hippolyta smiled although Diana saw her still slightly confused by the holiday greeting. Diana watched as her mother slowly exited the room. The minute the door closed, Diana sat on the couch and buried her face in her hands. How was she going to break the news to the others, especially Erik? In fact she was due to go out to dinner with him in a few hours.

"Hera, give me strength."

* * *

><p>"Are you alright Diana?" Erik asked, noticing she was out of it.<p>

"Fine," Diana assured although her tone wasn't convincing. She kept trying to focus on the handsome young Nordic man with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. They currently dined at a five-star restaurant close to the embassy. Erik had finally gotten back from his Christmas tour in Europe and the two planned to spend Christmas Eve dinner together. So far it had been nice and romantic, save for the fact that the paparazzi somehow got wind of it and ambushed them as they tried to walk inside the restaurant. Didn't they have plans for Christmas Eve or did their whole lives revolved around butting their noses in other people's business?

"Was it those obnoxious photographers?" Erik asked. "I can have my bodyguards go down there and force them back some more when we walk out of here."

"No its fine," Diana assured. She hadn't told him yet about her mother's visit.

"Diana," Erik said softly and gripped her hand. "It's okay, I already know."

"What?" Diana asked in surprise. How could he have possibly found out?

"Etta told me," Erik quickly explained.

"Oh," Diana said as her mind quickly began to think of some angry thoughts towards Etta.

"Yes, she told me how the Kasnian ambassador gave you a hard time today."

"Oh that," Diana said, feeling tremendous relief that Erik completely attributed her absent-mindedness to petty politics.

"Yes I know you are not particularly fond of Vox."

"No, I'm not," Diana quickly agreed as a waiter began to clear their tables. "The man was practically a miniature Stalin or Hitler. He just got lucky and managed to cut the right deal at the right time."

"I'm glad I don't have your job," Erik pointed out. "If it was up to me, I would've made sure he got tried and punished for his war crimes."

"Believe me no one would love that more than me," Diana admitted.

"So what did Vox want anyways?"

"The usual," Diana explained. "Blowing smoke and raising Hades over something trivial just to antagonize me. He's been especially a pain since the environmental treaty has gotten closer to ratification. Due to his country's key involvement in it, he has tried to subtly sabotage it to spite me."

"Surely there's someone you can report this to?"

"He's not worth it. The treaty will get signed anyways. Enough about Vox and the UN. What about you? How was Europe?"

"Fine, as always," Erik explained. "Not quite the same though as this country."

"Why?" Diana asked curiously. She was just eager they had steered the subject far away from Vox and her mother's earlier news.

"Because you aren't there," Erik explained and began to stroke her hand. Diana tried to smile at the romantic gesture but couldn't help but feel guilt boiling up inside her. She needed to tell him the truth.

"In fact, being away from you so long has made me think, not just how much I miss you, but how much I love you."

"What?" Diana asked, trying to not feel any more guilt.

"In fact I debated on whether to do this tonight or tomorrow while we celebrate Christmas but my heart can't wait any longer."

Before Diana could say anything, Erik got on a knee and began to reach for something in his pocket.

"Erik…" Diana replied, feeling her whole body tingle nervously and her throat clogging up. Her heartbeat had gotten faster by the second. Erik meanwhile had pulled out a small black box. As if on cue the box flipped open on its own, revealing a large expensive diamond ring.

"Diana," Erik began and Diana noticed how nervous and scared he seemed to be in contrast to the brazen confidence he usually displayed. "Despite my fame my whole life has been focused on trying to make the world a better place. I've devoted so much time and money to try to help people and the environment I never thought I would meet someone who shared the same passion as me. In fact you've done way more than I could ever have hoped to do for the world. That is why I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Erik swallowed deeply as Diana seemed to have frozen into a statue.

"Diana, will you marry me?"

A million thoughts soared through Diana's mind at the moment. She thought of all the things going in her life, including the issue on whether she should accept the offer to become queen. The Amazon knew she definitely shouldn't accept Erik's proposal right now, especially when she hadn't made a decision on her own future yet. But it seemed her body wasn't on the same page as her mind. Instead her throat cleared just enough for one word to escape her as tears of joy fell down her face.

"Yes," she cried as the warm feeling of euphoria washed all over her body.

* * *

><p><em>"So you said yes?"<em> Shayera asked over the phone. _"Without even deciding whether you're going to become queen?"_

"I know, I know," Diana snapped. "Gods Shayera, what am I going to do?"

_"Well I'll tell you one thing, you're going to have to at least start looking for a dress! I take it this makes me your Maid of Honor?"_

"This is serious Shayera! The Queen of the Amazons can't be married to anyone!"

_"Well why don't you just become queen and change the rule?"_

"It's not that simple," Diana countered as she sat down on her bed. Erik was in the shower currently and thus couldn't hear Diana's conversation. It was almost midnight so that meant Christmas would officially start soon.

_"Well Di, considering my love life is not the most stable-"_

"You're happily married with kids!" Diana corrected.

_"Yeah but look the road John and I had to take to get there-"_

_CRASH!_

"Shayera?" Diana asked with alarm as she heard something breaking on the other end. "Are you alright?"

_"If you don't get to bed right this minute I'll make sure Santa won't just give you all lumps of coal but take the toys you already have away!"_ Shayera's voice shrilled over the phone. Diana could hear the faint sound of someone running frantically up some stairs in the background.

_"Word of advice Diana,"_ Shayera said in a tired voice. _"Never let your kids stay up late on Christmas Eve."_

"We haven't even began to think about having kids!"

_"I was just…nevermind,"_ Shayera said with an annoyed sigh. _"Look I'm not going to tell you what to do but tell you what you shouldn't do. Diana you can't try to string both decisions along until the last minute. You need to decide whether you want to be queen or have a happy life with Erik. It's up to you and no one else. All I can say is after everything you've done, no one should think any less of you if you chose to spend a happy life with Erik because if they did, I'll make sure they have a taste of some Nth metal."_

Diana smiled at her friend's promise.

"Thank you Shayera."

_"Anytime girl. I need to go help John bring out the presents from 'Santa.' Merry Christmas Di."_

"Merry Christmas Shay," Diana said and hung up. She then let out a sigh and fell back into her bed. Shayera's talk did help her feel better but it didn't change the fact that she still had to make a difficult decision soon. Should she embrace her Amazon duty and accept the title as Queen or choose to stay in Man's World and spend her life with her friends and loved ones? Did she even love Erik? Of course she did. Not only did they share similar interests but he understood her priorities and commitments to her mission. Perhaps then he would understand why she would have to reject his proposal. But she didn't have the heart to do that to him. After everything, he deserved better than her hurting him like that. Yawning Diana rolled over and prayed to the gods that they at least let her sleep and not fret about this for the night. She would have plenty of time to think about it in the days to come. And to think, earlier that day her biggest concerns involved dealing with some angry diplomats.

* * *

><p><em>Gotham City<em>

Stephanie rode up the single street. Earlier she had stopped by the orphanage she grew up in to drop off some presents on behalf of Mr. Wayne. Technically Bruce had nothing to do with the donation other than Stephanie "borrowing" his credit card to buy the gifts, but a billionaire like Bruce wouldn't care. As she rode along the single street, the secret turn to the hidden entrance of the Batcave came upon her and she made it sharply. She actually had made good time so far on her way back from the orphanage. If she changed quickly and got back to the city she would be ready to patrol it well before midnight. Gordon wouldn't be around to talk since he spent Christmas Eve dinner with Dick and Babs in Bludhaven so she figured she would get an extra half hour on the streets at least. Normally she would've asked for time off considering it was Christmas Eve but she had learned quickly that Batman, or in this case Batwoman, never took a holiday. And neither did crime. Already she had reached the entrance to the cave. Hearing the faint sound of the body scanners reading her as the security measures ahead were turned off, she sped along and made the last bend as a few angry bats brushed past her face. As usual she ignored them and saw the faint illumination of the Batcomputer.

Hitting the brakes into a halt, she immediately jumped off the bike. Right away she noticed Bruce wasn't in the cave. Perhaps he was upstairs, waiting for her or more likely passed out on the couch after drinking himself to sleep. Stephanie shrugged it off and quickly made to change. By now she had mastered the technique so she could be in full batsuit with a fully stocked belt in less than a minute. Quickly she stepped back out into the center of the cave while half expecting to hear the sound of Bruce limping his way down the stairs to visit her. Yet she didn't hear nor see any signs of Bruce. Stephanie internally debated on whether she should make the effort to head up the stairs to at least report to him and let him know she was about to go on patrol when something raised her suspicions.

The Batmobile was missing.

Immediately she jumped in a defensive stance as she scanned around the room. Did he go on patrol without telling her? It wouldn't be the first time he had done that. He was still the Batman after all. But nowadays he would give her a heads up at least. Cautiously Stephanie slowly backed to the Batcomputer and turned her back to the rest of the cave, ready to turn around and face anyone sneaking up behind her. She quickly tapped a few buttons on the Batcomputer and watched as the screen began to fizzle before showing a video recording of the Batcave which it quickly rewound. Stephanie suddenly hit pause when she saw the Batmobile backing into the cave and someone walking backwards out of it. She quickly noticed it was someone with a cane. That was when an alarm rang in her head.

"Why the hell is he driving the Batmobile out of costume?" Stephanie muttered angrily although knowing Bruce he was probably high or drunk or both at the moment. It was then Stephanie finally realized what Bruce was up to.

"Of course," she muttered. How could she forget? To everyone else it was Christmas Eve but for him it was something different. Just to be sure, Stephanie activated the homing GPS on the Batmobile and not to her surprise discovered it was currently outside of Gotham Cemetery.

"Jesus Bruce," Stephanie swore as she pulled on her cowl and headed towards her Batpod.

* * *

><p>Bruce stared at the middle gravestone. It was smaller than the big one it was next to. Yet it was obviously a newer one even though it was about a decade old. The words were still legible and not covered with as much moss or cracks like his parents' tombstone. On the other side of the small gravestone was another one that looked slightly newer. The words were in a bigger font and read:<p>

**Alfred Pennyworth**

**June 10, 1920-October 23, 2009**

**War Hero, Beloved Father, and Friend.**

Bruce sighed and regretted that he didn't have a rose for Alfred's grave but understood at the same time why he didn't bring one tonight. It was the same reason why he hadn't brought one for his parents' tombstone either. He came tonight to drop a rose on one specific grave; the small one in the middle. Bruce, shaking slightly, popped a few pills in his mouth before balancing on his cane as he cautiously lowered himself so he could place the single rose on the smaller grave in the middle that read:

**Timothy Drake**

**August 3, 1991-December 24, 2007**

_**"It was meet that we should make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead and is alive again; and was lost, and is…"**_

The rest of the Bible quote and the citation were hidden by some frozen mud, but Bruce didn't bother to remove it. He instead dropped the rose and bowed his head.

"Merry Christmas Tim," Bruce whispered softly and ignored the temptation to let some tears fall down from his face.

"Are you crazy?" a voice snapped. Startled, Bruce turned around to find Batwoman stomping towards him.

"What are you doing here?" Bruce demanded angrily.

"Making sure you're not dead. Based on how you parked the Batmobile, something tells me you've been driving under the influence! You know there's an autopilot function?"

"I didn't need it," Bruce assured. "I'm fine."

"Sure you are. I'm no doctor but your pupils are dilated right now!"

"Leave," Bruce snapped. "Don't you have to go on patrol?"

"I will, as soon as I make sure you make it back safe and sound."

Bruce glared at her again but Batwoman refused to budge and crossed her arms daringly. However her eyes showed the scant hints of sympathy.

"If you want some more alone time, I understand," Batwoman said with a softer tone that contrasted the confrontational one she had earlier. "I'll back away a bit."

Batwoman began to step back a little.

"No," Bruce whispered softly. "You're fine."

He then ignored her and looked back at Tim's grave. The oncoming snow had already started to bury the single rose.

"I'll uh, make sure to set the Batmobile on autopilot so you don't have to drive," Batwoman offered, a little still put off by Bruce suddenly backing out of the impending fight they almost had. Bruce still didn't say anything and continued to stare at the grave as if it had an important clue on it. Batwoman uncomfortably went up and patted the older man on the back.

"Merry Christmas Bruce," she whispered softly before looking at the grave to read the Bible quote on it. She always wondered why Bruce, probably the most nonreligious man she ever met, would choose a quote from the Bible, let alone one from the Parable of the Prodigal Son, but she never pried. Bruce deserved his privacy and had his reasons. She kept her hand comfortingly on Bruce's shoulder and with him continued to stare at the grave. Suddenly Bruce shifted and brought her focus back.

"You should start your patrol," he warned gruffly and walked abruptly away from her.

"Sure," Batwoman said, a little uncomfortable and perplexed by the sudden end to the tender moment they had shared. "Right on it Old Man."

* * *

><p><em>Gotham City-2009<em>

_"Where's Ra's?" Batman demanded angrily._

_The man he had in his hands gave a twisted smile._

_"You cannot stop him infidel!" the man laughed._

_"Try me," Batman shot back through gritted teeth. His leg flared up again and he tired to focus on interrogating the suspect to distract him from the pain. It wasn't real. If he focused enough it would cease to exist._

_"I'll start breaking your fingers one by one," Batman threatened as he began to bend the pinky finger back._

_"The Demon's Head will bring the end and the beginning," the suspect warned. "He has finally found someone to carry out the Purge. He will lead the Society to our ultimate triumph!"_

_"Who?" Batman demanded. Ra's had another apprentice now?_

_"His name will strike fear in all those who speak it. He will bring everlasting suffering to our foes. And he will bring the end of everything, for his name is DEATHSTROKE!"_

_And before Batman could question anything further the suspect suddenly bit down his teeth and swallowed something._

_"NO!" Batman grunted as foam spilled out of the suspect's mouth. The suspect's body then began to convulse all over the place._

_"Damn!" Batman swore and tried to do all he could to resuscitate the choking suspect. But it was too late. The cyanide pill had done its job. Batman angrily dropped the body and stormed away. He had been stupid and careless. Even Dick would've known better to check for something like a cyanide pill before interrogating the suspect. Ra's always demanded fanatical devotion to his cause. Well one thing was for sure now though. Ra's had a new disciple who apparently was worthy enough to stand out among his usual peons. Batman knew he would have to go to the Batcave and learn more about this mysterious Deathstroke._

* * *

><p><em>Metropolis-December 24, 2017<em>

The truck drove quietly along the narrow alleyway. He was supposed to take the longer, less conspicuous, path so the truck would not be seen by many witnesses. The driver and the passenger up front said nothing to each other and kept staring ahead. Soon the truck would reach its intended destination.

"Look," the passenger noted and the driver screeched to a sudden halt. Up ahead in the road were a few shadowy figures standing in the way. They were armed with crude looking weapons and bats. Some even had guns.

"Ho-ho-ho," one hoodlum said sarcastically as he walked forward to the group. "Superman may take time off for Christmas but not us! Ya usin' our alley so now ya gotta pay the toll."

The driver remained unfazed and instead looked down at the lead hoodlum who had approached the truck. The driver then quietly rolled down the window.

"Please get out of our way or your life will be forfeit," the driver warned.

"Oh look here!" the hoodlum laughed as his fellow gang members snickered along. "Looks like we got someone who doesn't want to pay!"

The hoodlum then flashed his gun and pointed it up at the driver.

"But we can fix that!"

The driver sighed and closed his eyes while he chanted something in a foreign language.

"What the hell?" the hoodlum asked.

The driver ignored his cries and continued to chant his prayer. The passenger next to him follow suit.

"Hey! I'm talkin' to youse! Come out here with your hands up or I'll-"

BAM!

"Argh!" the lead hoodlum cried as the door suddenly swung open and knocked him down. The driver and passenger both stepped out armed with their own large military rifles that they had kept wisely hidden in the car. Without hesitation, the two men had managed to mow down the entire gang in less than thirty seconds. They even shot the gang members who had quickly turned around and attempted to flee. The two men said nothing and quietly began to walk back to the truck.

"We must hurry," the passenger warned. "That sound will attract attention."

"Superman is not around for the night," the driver assured as he checked his mirrors before starting the car. "And the Metro Tower is on the other side of the city. We will be fi-"

It was then the driver realized as he checked the mirrors that the door of the container transported by their truck was open in the rear.

"No!" the driver said with alarm and quickly got out of the seat.

"What is it?" the passenger asked with worry as the driver stepped outside and rushed to the rear of the truck. The driver clutched the container door as he ran up to it and looked around to find the container was empty now. Their cargo was gone!

* * *

><p>"Yes?" the big man asked as he answered the hotel room phone. "Has the cargo arrived?"<p>

The man paused as he listened on the other end. His face immediately transformed from calm to pure horror and anger.

"What do you mean she's missing?" the man asked angrily.

"What is going on?" a female voice asked.

The man turned around nervously to face his mistress. She had just exited the shower and was in a bathrobe. Her dark wet hair stuck to her face while her almond eyes showed fierce, never-ending anger.

"Madame Zara," the man said as he dropped the phone and got to his knees. "Please I beg you for forgiveness but apparently, the cargo was lost."

"What?" Zara demanded angrily as she stomped over to the bowing man. "What happened?"

"The truck got into a skirmish with a random street gang. They think she got out when they were fighting."

"The container was bolted," Zara corrected. "Someone let her out!"

"Mistress?"

Zara turned around and ignored her sniveling bodyguard.

"Someone is on to us," Zara noted, not really paying attention to her servant.

"Should we then perhaps delay our plans?" he asked uncertainly.

"No!" Zara turned around and snapped angrily, causing the bodyguard to cower again.

"I've come too far to stop now! Everything will proceed as planned. This is only a minor setback. I want the two who were driving the truck to be dealt with and then I want you to get a hold of Deathstroke and tell him we have another job for him in Metropolis. I want him to find her and find out who took her from us."

Zara then stepped further away from her servant.

"She needs to be found. Otherwise we will not be able to implement our revenge against Wonder Woman next week."


	3. First Contacts

_Kasnia-2005_

"_Do you want a drink, Darling?" Audrey asked playfully._

"_No thank you," Diana dismissed. "I have to debrief the League tonight about what happened today."_

"_So it really was just Ares behind everything?" Audrey asked with hope in her voice. "The Greek God of War was trying to tear my country apart?"_

"_More likely Ares was trying to exploit the conflict for his own gain," Diana explained reluctantly. "I'd like to say with him gone your country will finally find peace but-"_

"_The different factions still want to kill each other," Audrey finished. Wonder Woman nodded to confirm Audrey's statement._

"_Even with Nardoc disposed, many of my generals think the Northern tribes will still try to break away," Audrey muttered ruefully. "What do you think I should do?"_

_Diana was a little taken aback by Audrey asking her for advice on the survival of Kasnia._

"_I…uh…" Diana responded with embarrassment. "Hardly think I'm qualified to impart such a judgment on internal affairs. I'm not a stateswoman."_

"_But you are my friend," Audrey corrected. "At least give me your personal opinion. What should I do?"_

_Diana sighed and paused to think about her response carefully. She had an opportunity to maybe bring eternal peace to Kasnia so she needed to be careful._

"_Just the other day I held a dim view on the nature of humanity. It seemed to me Man's World was just filled with violence and hate even though I'm one to talk. Maybe dismantling the Annihilator has taught me that being a warrior isn't just about aggression. Maybe true strength is learning when to not fight back and having the courage to face your enemy with open arms. Feelings like hate, fear, and aggression fuel conflict. Perhaps all this world needs is a little more hope and forgiveness."_

"_So do you think I should continue this ceasefire?" Audrey asked. "My generals will protest that."_

"_It seems to be working so far," Diana pointed out. "Both sides for the time being have calmed down."_

"_But it won't last forever," Audrey noted cynically. "Eventually the northern tribes will want to break away again."_

"_Do you think that maybe you should just let them?"_

"_I will not have my country fall apart under my rule!" Audrey snapped angrily, startling Diana. However Audrey's eyes softened instantly and she looked at her dearest friend with regret._

"_I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to snap like that."_

"_It's alright," Diana assured, accepting her friend's apology. Audrey then sat on the fancy bed in her room while placing her hands on her cheeks._

"_Besides even if I let the northern tribes break away, I risk angering the more radical parties in the South which could jeopardize my rule even further. Will I be remembered as the queen who led her country into another violent civil war or the queen who let whatever is left of her country fall apart?"_

"_Maybe there is another option," Diana suggested._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Have you ever tried reaching out to the northern tribes and finding out what their concerns are? Perhaps their drive for independence stems more from some social, economic or cultural issues that aren't being addressed."_

"_What are you saying? I treat all of my subjects fairly."_

"_But maybe there's a perception out there that you haven't been treating them as equal citizens," Diana offered in the most diplomatic tone she could muster. Audrey looked like she was about to complain but then paused to think over Diana's words._

"_Well what do you propose I do then? How do I show the northern tribes I see them as Kasnians like the rest and want to help them?"_

"_Host a summit," Diana offered. "Use this ceasefire as a platform to bring all the leaders of the Northern tribes and Southern political factions together to have a serious discussion. You could try to address everyone's concerns and even maybe reform your own government."_

"_Do you realize how hard it would be to get any of the Southern party and faction leaders in the same room? It will be near impossible to get even the Northern tribe leaders to come along as well. Especially with the Black Hand involved. No one will leave this summit happy."_

"_But that's the point of compromise," Diana argued and sat on the bed to hold her friend's hand. "You need to make everyone find not the solution they want, but the solution that they can all tolerate."_

_"I doubt I possess the capability to do that. I'm just a silly girl trying to keep her father's kingdom intact."  
><em>

_"You can do it Audrey. I've watched you change quickly from the socialite party girl to the brave woman who would give everything to protect her people. You have the will to save your country, you just need to believe in yourself."_

"_I don't know," Audrey said and broke eye contact with her friend. "None of the political or faction leaders will probably make an effort to find a solution. If I extend them an invitation to a political summit, they will think it is a sham."_

"_They won't if you're there as well," Diana countered. "If you agree to do this and make a visible effort to reach an overarching compromise, you will be showing your commitment to peace. The different faction and tribal leaders at the very least will attempt an effort to work something out. You can be the symbol that every Kasnian rallies behind."_

_Audrey closed her eyes to think about it. Diana patiently waited for her friend to make her decision. Finally the young queen opened her eyes and looked back at her friend confidently._

"_Very well," Audrey agreed. "I will call all the different political, ethnic, tribal, and faction leaders to come to a summit to try to reform the constitution and the government. If I make an effort to extend a hand, maybe most of them will take it."_

_Diana smiled proudly at her friend._

"_If it's any consolation," Diana offered, "Despite the conflicts and wars, I do believe you and your people will know peace one day."_

"_Thank you Darling."_

* * *

><p><em>Metropolis-December 25, 2017<br>_

Diana stomped angrily inside the UN. Even though it was a worldwide holiday, some things like global affairs never took a day off and unfortunately Diana had to cancel her Christmas plans today. Erik had plans to play in a Christmas concert tonight in a different city so he and Diana wanted to spend Christmas morning together. Unfortunately Diana got a call that required her to report to the UN, interrupting their Christmas breakfast.

"Right this way Madame Ambassador," a guard offered as he escorted Diana across the building to the east section. Diana did her best to not snap at that moment. She knew the real reason why she was there. The ambassador from Kasnia wanted to screw with her in retaliation from her ignoring him the last few days. Deep down, Diana knew the ambassador's threats over Kasnia pulling out of the new environmental treaty were empty, but because she personally led the charge to get the treaty drafted, she needed to take every issue seriously, no matter how innocuous. The Amazon focused on creative fantasies of her hurting the ambassador again so she didn't really pay attention to the journey to his office. Before she knew it, she was outside his door. Quickly her escort opened and poked his head into the office.

"I present Princess Diana, Ambassador of Themyscira," the escort announced as Diana shoved past him and walked in.

"**Yes, good,"** Vox croaked from his mechanical voice box that covered his entire neck. **"That'll be all."**

The escort bowed and shut the door, leaving the Amazon with the former soldier of Kasnia.

"**I hate to bring you in over Christmastime-"**

"Save it, Vox," Diana snapped, not even bothering to give the man the honorary title of ambassador. "What do you want?"

Vox wrinkled his nose at Diana's disrespectful response.

"**My country and I have concerns over the latest draft of the treaty."**

"Oh really?" Diana asked in a mocking tone. "What a surprise."

"**Do not mock me, Madame Ambassador,"** Vox warned. **"I could just tell my country to pull out and the whole treaty becomes null and void. Without Kasnia you won't have the rest of the Balkans and without the Balkans, you won't have Eastern Europe which gives Russia an excuse to back out."**

Diana did her best to bite her tongue and not call out Vox for his empty threat. There was no way he would pull a stunt like that. The President of Kasnia himself had promised Diana his country's full support so Vox had no real authority to sink the treaty. But still, she couldn't take the risk. After months of planning and negotiating, she couldn't let all the work go to waste, especially when the reward promised making the world an even better place to live in by helping the environment and combating climate change.

"Very well," Diana relented. "May I ask what your concerns are?"

"**Paragraph 32 has a clause about each country being responsible for maintaining clean environmental standards for large bodies of water in their own borders."**

"I helped write the treaty myself you don't need to explain everything. What issue does your country have with this clause now?"

"**Well the Kasnian River branches out from the Danube which as we know cuts through many borders. My country and I worry that other countries' attempts to clean their portion of the Danube might lead to them to putting some chemical toxins that would travel down into the Kasnian River and threaten the livelihood of the fish species that live there. As you know, fresh water fish is still a very important aspect of our economy unlike most countries along the Danube, especially in our towns across the river."**

"There are protocols in the treaty against that," Diana reminded in frustration. "The clause itself states no country will attempt to clean their bodies of water using methods that could drastically damage the local ecosystems."

"**Yes, but the clause does not label specific guidelines and standards,"** Vox countered. **"That leaves enough room for some countries to abuse it."**

"That's unnecessary!" Diana snapped, finally losing her cool. "The law specifically states to not use any methods that cause lasting damage to the ecosystems!"

Vox let out a smug, satisfied smile.

"**Nonetheless it could set a bad precedent if these methods are not explicitly defined in the treaty. We request more clearly stated rules be added to Paragraph 32."**

Diana stood up and clenched Vox's desk so tightly that she was surprised she hadn't let her superstrength crush it yet. She knew Vox's issue was trivial. This could've been easily dealt with over the phone. He only called her in on Christmas to antagonize her. The temptation to leave and blow him off was high but she stopped herself at the last minute. Despite Vox's pettiness, she needed to be the better dignitary at the moment and maintain her poise and professionalism.

"I'll talk to the other ambassadors at the next meeting about revising it," Diana assured while giving the most threatening glare she could give.

"**Thank you,"** Vox smiled as his static voice buzzed through his voice box. **"I'm so sorry to have to call you in on Christmas, but it just couldn't wait. You understand?"**

"Of course," Diana said sarcastically. Even though Vox was speaking through a machine that didn't give much inflection, she could still tell he was not sincere at all. They both hated each other and he was once again just trying to find a way to bother her. If it was up to her, he would've remained rotting in prison. But for the time being, Vox was still an ambassador to a lawful nation-state and she could not touch him. Thinking about that limitation only made her blood boil even more. Diana turned around and made to leave before Vox could cause her to lose her temper completely.

"**Oh one more thing Madame Ambassador,"** Vox called out. Diana closed her eyes and despite her resistance, forced herself to turn around and face him again.

"Yes?"

"**Merry Christmas."**

Diana turned back around and exited the room angrily.

* * *

><p>"<em>Are you serious?"<em> Erik asked.

"I am," Diana complained on her phone as she aimlessly walked through the streets. "He probably somehow knew we would only have time for breakfast today."

By the time Diana got out of the UN building and called Erik, he had already left the embassy to head to his private plane for his concert. The precious small amount of time they were supposed to have this morning was ruined because of Vox.

"_How is that monster allowed to walk around as a free man?_" Erik complained.

"Believe me, I would love nothing more than seeing him pay for his crimes but unfortunately without Vox, the Fourth Kasnian Civil War wouldn't have ended. Like I said last night, he made the deal at the right time."

"_Still though, it has been almost a decade. I don't think the UN or Kasnia needs him anymore."_

"But it would look like we went back on our promise of full immunity for him if we tried him for anything."

"_I know, I know. It's just a thought."_

Diana sighed and decided to take a shortcut to her own embassy by foot. She was not in the mood to fly today nor call a town car to pick her up.

"I'm sorry our breakfast together was cut short," Diana apologized.

"_It's alright. Honestly what happened last night is way more important than missing one breakfast together. We'll have plenty of those after the wedding."_

Diana froze at that remark. She had forgotten she had accepted Erik's proposal without thinking of the consequences. So many things had happened so fast it seemed like her own life had thrown her a curve ball.

"_Diana? Is everything alright?"_

"Of course," Diana said quickly in a higher octave than her usual voice.

"_Look if you want to delay us breaking the news to the press next week I understand-"_

"No!" Diana interjected. "I mean what's the point of accepting the proposal if I won't publicly acknowledge it?"

"_Okay Di. __I got to make some calls before I board the plane. I'll call you later tonight after the concert."_

"Of course," Diana said nervously.

"_I love you."_

"I do too," Diana replied as she hung up. Even though Christmas was supposed to be a happy time for most, she found it to be stressful. Between her mother's offer, the treaty, Erik proposing, and Vox causing unnecessary trouble Diana had gotten flustered more and more by the second. When she hung up the phone she realized she was still only halfway home and in the middle of a deserted alley. At this point she wanted to just fly the rest of the way but walking always did help her clear her mind. Sighing with exasperation she began to continue to walk along the alley.

CRASH!

Diana froze at the sound.

BAM!

She didn't need superhearing to hear that. Something had knocked over the trashcan nearby. Despite her own powers, the training instilled in her couldn't help but make Diana feel alert and cautious. Slowly she turned around to the source of the noise. All she could see was some garbage that remained perfectly still.

"Come out!" she commanded. She knew something or someone was there. Was it one of Vox's spies following her again? Nothing happened and the garbage continued to sit quietly still.

"I'm warning-"

CRASH!

Some glass was knocked over as something moved again. Curiosity getting the better of her, Diana rushed over and picked up a large piece of cardboard.

"Hera!"

Diana found herself looking at a little girl, no older than seven. The little girl was dirty and half-starved. She also had a wild and feral look in her eyes that fearfully looked up at Diana. The Amazon noticed the girl wore rags and reeked of sewage. For a while Diana stared down at the girl who stared back at her in fear. Neither knew what to do. Suddenly with speed that even surprised Diana, the little girl took off running in the other direction.

"Hey wait!" Diana called back after the little girl. But the little girl did not heed her warning and kept running. However that wasn't enough to deter Diana. The Amazon quickly followed after the girl, careful not to tap into her Amazon super speed out of fear she would startle the poor thing. The little girl kept running like a terrified stray animal along the alley. Diana kept going after her just as the little girl stumbled into the street. A semi-truck honked as it sped towards the child who froze like a deer in the headlights.

"Get down!"

Something whisked by, moving the child out of harm's way just in time. Diana quickly stopped on the other side of the street while still carrying the girl.

"You could've been killed!" Diana shouted. She then realized the girl wasn't moving. Slowly lowering the girl on the ground Diana saw that she now stared at the Amazon with a confused look. The Amazon also noticed how pale her lips were.

"Are you alright?" Diana asked softly. The little girl said nothing but continued to stare Diana with her wide, fearful green eyes.

"What's your name?" Diana asked. Remaining silent, the girl kept the apprehensive look on her face directed at Diana. She looked more like a stray, abused animal than a human being to Diana. Cautiously, Diana extended a hand to stroke the girl who flinched at the touch. Pausing, Diana gave a small sad smile to the girl who slowly stopped tensing and let Diana cup her face with her hand.

"You're freezing," Diana noted with alarm. She then noticed there was something odd about the girl's arms. Slowly and cautiously, Diana gently grabbed one of the girl's tiny arms and lifted the sleeve of her rags up. Immediately the little girl flinched in pain but gave no sound. Quickly upon examining the arm Diana realized why the girl flinched. It was covered in scars that looked painful.

"Who did this to you?" Diana demanded as anger boiled up inside her again. Instantly she regretted that reaction because she saw the look of terror the girl gave back in response.

"Shhh," Diana cooed, letting the anger abate as she began to stroke the girl. "It's alright. You're safe now."

The girl leaned back as if ready to break away and run again. Yet she kept looking at Diana with uncertainty. Diana stood up and offered her hand.

"Take my hand." Diana whispered softly while giving an encouraging smile. The girl looked at Diana's hands with nervous trepidation before looking back up into Diana's soft blue compassionate eyes. Slowly she extended her tiny hand into Diana's and held it tightly. Diana let out a sigh of relief and felt a little warmth in her heart.

"I'm going to take you to my embassy, little sister," Diana offered. "No use of us trying to spend Christmas Day alone."

And with that, Diana walked home as the little girl clutched her hand tightly and followed. However unnoticed by either, across the street in another alley just out of the light someone had watched them leave the street together. The watcher had on body armor and a mask with only one slit for his one eye to see. Slightly amused, the watcher rubbed his chin with interest.

"**I didn't see anything,"** Deathstroke said sardonically before disappearing into the shadows.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean you couldn't find her?" the young woman yelled into her satellite phone.<p>

"Madame Zara, I advise you to keep it down," her bodyguard warned. "These hotel walls are-"

Zara ignored him and continued to speak to the occupant on the other end.

"You claim to be the best assassin and human tracker in the business and you cannot find one little girl?"

"_**I'm sorry but I've been busy planning to murder a very high profile figure**_," droned a bored voice on the other line. _**"I can't keep track of your missing cargo."**_

"Don't you dare patronize me, Deathstroke," Zara warned. "Remember you work for me."

"_**No I don't!"**_ Deathstroke snapped angrily on the other end. _**"I don't work for you. You're paying me for my services but I'm only here on behalf of our mutual benefactor; you do not own or control me."**_

"I want you to find her," Zara warned. "The Flame has worked too hard for a blunder like this to dismantle everything."

"_**And I will find her eventually,"**_ Deathstroke assured. _**"I will track her down and you can continue with your plan and whatever your heart desires."**_

"You have less than one week to deliver on your promise," Zara warned. "You may be the greatest assassin but if you fail, there will be no place for you to hide from the Crimson Flame. If we cannot enact our revenge next week, we will come for you instead."

"_**I look forward to it,"**_ Deathstroke responded sarcastically. _**"We're done here."**_

Zara glared into the phone and hung up angrily.

"That fool dares to speak to me like that?" she spat.

"Madame, why don't one of our own men carry out the assassination?" her bodyguard asked nervously. "I much rather it be done by one of the chosen than an infidel."

"The assassination is only the beginning," Zara reminded. "It requires a lot of finesse and planning and we are too busy ensuring the rest of our plan comes together at the same time. However we won't be able to enact the rest of the plan without _her_."

"Should we then call off the mission Mistress?"

"No," Zara hissed. "The die has already been cast. I want all our reserves helping Deathstroke find the girl before the event next week. Locating her is the priority."

* * *

><p><em>Gotham City-Wayne Manor<em>

"Have you checked your messages lately?" Stephanie asked as she cleared the table of the meal she had prepared for the two of them. She had managed to enjoy a small Christmas dinner with Bruce. It was nice to see him stay sober and clean for a couple of hours during the day.

"What?" Bruce asked. Stephanie thought she saw a twitch in his hand. She knew he had tried to hide his withdrawal symptoms as best he could.

"I said," Stephanie continued as she began to wash the plates. "Have you checked your messages lately? I know you don't go to the office as much anymore, but Lucius Fox has called three times this week. He says he wants you to reschedule a meeting with Cyber Industries."

"Ignore it," Bruce dismissed. "Cyber Industries is just trying to beat Powers and Co from taking my company away from me. I don't need another meeting with them trying to convince me to ally with them."

"Well then all the better for you to try to take an active role then," Stephanie complained. "I mean if you don't want the wolves to pick Wayne Enterprises clean you're going to have to fight for it."

"Lucius can handle them," Bruce assured in a tone that signaled he didn't want to talk to her anymore. "Besides as long as I'm still alive, I possess a majority of the company's shares. There's nothing they can do."

"If you say so," Stephanie said with disbelief. She had loaded the last dish in the dishwasher and looked at the clock. It was already past eight and she was late for patrol.

"You going to come out tonight?" Stephanie asked even though she knew the answer. "It's been about a month and a half since you and I've done a good patrol together."

"Not tonight," Bruce said darkly. "It's usually quiet on Christmas anyways. Make sure to call me if you have any trouble."

"Sure," Stephanie replied darkly while muttering under her breath. "And make sure to not OD while I'm out on the job."

And with that, Stephanie left the dining room to go use the secret entrance into the Batcave. Bruce quietly sat at the dining room table by himself for a long time and listened to the faint sounds of her driving the Batpod out of the cave and into the Gotham winter night. When he was positive she had left, he grunted as he finally stood up. He limped over to the liquor cabinet and opened it up. Finding his favorite bottle of whiskey he poured himself a glass and made his way to the living room. A fire was lit ablaze in the fireplace as he sat down in his comfy armchair to face it. While one hand clutched his glass of liquor, the other worked to dig something out of his pocket. He had done all he could to remain still during the afternoon and evening he spent with Stephanie. He didn't like her seeing him react without his painkillers or alcohol. It would lead into another debate he didn't want to get into. She thought he had a problem but she was wrong. He knew he had a few addictions, but it wasn't a problem as long as he could still do his job in helping her keep Gotham safe.

Finally getting the prescription bottle open, he popped three pills into his mouth and closed his eyes as he swallowed them. He relaxed and sat quietly as the narcotics worked. His body, especially his leg began to feel numb again and the pain had faded. He then drank from his glass. In a few minutes, he was completely buzzed and his drink was already half empty. Bruce then elected to stare at the flames. The fire was right under the portrait of his parents which he had refused to look at it in a decade. The aging man had done his best to try to forget their faces. It made it easier to have at least one bad memory fade into oblivion. Continuing to watch the flames, he paused to think about Stephanie. She would be alright tonight because she always came back safe and sound. Stephanie wasn't like the rest and was better than all of them. He knew he could trust her to take care of herself. But then again he used to think Tim could as well. Bruce grimaced and turned his head slightly in pain while closing his eyes in regret. He could still hear the fire burn in the background while he tried to focus on other things. Feeling nostalgic, he tried to think of happier times but couldn't picture anything. All of his time spent with Dick, Barbara, Tim, and the Justice League had become distant memories of another lifetime.

"_You've made your choice and I've made mine. If you want to die alone so be it, I won't stop you," _a female voice echoed in his head. That was the last conversation he had had with _her_. He hadn't talked to the League or the others since that fateful day almost a decade ago. Soon after that, everybody else began to leave him. Alfred died a few years later while Dick and Barbara moved to Bludhaven and settled down together. Other than the occasional phone call to Barbara once or twice a year and the exchange of Christmas cards, he hardly talked to them. Leslie meanwhile left Gotham for good after having her first patient kill himself in front of her. Bruce had no idea where she was now or if she was even alive still. Meanwhile he had limited the amount of times he went to work, often communicating through Lucius Fox by phone. To the rest of the world Bruce Wayne had become more of a mystery than the Batman. Everyone saw the Batman or so they thought once in a while. Bruce Wayne however had disappeared into the shadows of Wayne Manor along with his secrets. To see Bruce Wayne at Wayne Enterprises was like seeing Halley's Comet. To see Bruce Wayne out in the public was like seeing Big Foot.

Bruce continued to reflect on his life while the fire finally began to die down. Other than Stephanie there was only one person he kept in touch with. Deciding it was time he did the obligatory Christmas phone call to his only true friend left, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. It only rang twice before someone picked it up.

"_A call on Christmas?"_ Gordon asked in a snarky tone on the other end. _"Now that's a Christmas miracle you don't see every day."_

"How are you doing Jim?" Bruce asked softly as he sipped from his drink.

"_I'm fine. Stephanie hasn't stopped by yet tonight, if that's what you're wondering."_

"I know she's alright," Bruce assured. "Did you go by Barbara and Dick's yesterday?"

"_Yep. She's getting better at cooking,"_ Gordon cracked. _"They seemed really happy. They told me to send their regards to you."_

Bruce didn't respond to that at all and just sat quietly in his armchair.

"_But that's not the reason you called me is it?"_ Gordon noted shrewdly.

"No…" Bruce admitted reluctantly.

"_Well then, what is it?"_

Sighing Bruce let out a cough before clearing his throat.

"Do you think it was worth it?"

"_What?"_

"Everything we did in the name of protecting Gotham came at a price. Your marriage, my life, Tim…" Bruce began before choking a little at the end. "And yet the city has been the same as it has been for the last forty years. Do you think our efforts even mattered at all?"

"_It's a rare treat to hear actual doubt in your voice,"_ Gordon noted. "_What's got you thinking this way?" _

"I don't know," Bruce admitted darkly. He started to regret calling Gordon. As much as he trusted Gordon, he didn't like being vulnerable in front of anyone. Bruce didn't say anything for a while and hoped that the awkward pause would encourage Gordon to hang up. However the old man was patient and would not give in.

"_If you're asking me if all the sacrifices we made were worth it, I don't know," _Gordon offered._ "I'm not the man to be able to impart judgment on that appropriately. I will tell you though, we did matter. It wasn't all for nothing."_

Bruce didn't say anything so Gordon had to continue the conversation.

"_Sure Gotham will probably always be a city filled with crime, but the fight still goes on and that's what matters. Look at Stephanie and the GCPD today. They are ten times stronger and more effective than we were back in the day."_

"But the criminals of today are a lot more effective as well," Bruce noted dryly. "Times change, but we don't. We just slowly fade away as the next generation adapts."

Bruce took the last swig of whiskey from his glass. He would need to get a refill soon.

"Look at both of us," Bruce said while letting out a dark chuckle. "Two old men waiting to die while reminiscing about their glory days."

"_Who you calling old? I've got a good twenty on you. I'll be in the ground long before you."_

Bruce snorted and set his glass on the coffee table while he adjusted himself in his seat.

"Stephanie probably will be a better person at holding the mantle than I was. I wouldn't survive against this new generation of thugs on my own. Most of the world thinks we have evolved into an era of peace but they are mistaken. The world is and always has been violent. It's just gotten better at executing that violence in a less chaotic way. Crime is more sophisticated than it was when I started. Criminals and the police have adapted and evolved while leaving us behind in the dust. Was it really worth all the sacrifice and loss just to be a step in an inevitable chain of events?"

Gordon didn't immediately respond to Bruce's musings and for a second Bruce was afraid he had hung up.

"_I guess it's just about what you told me a decade ago when you buried Tim into the ground. It's not about the long term results of our actions that matter. All that matters is if we can look at ourselves in the mirror and be willing to continue living with our choices and consequences."_

Bruce didn't say anything to that. He noticed the fire had started to die.

"I got to get going," he whispered softly.

"_I do too,"_ Gordon agreed. _"Merry Christmas Bruce."_

"Merry Christmas Jim," Bruce responded as he hung up. He then weakly got to his feet and picked up his glass to go get a refill as the diminishing embers continued to glow a menacing red.

* * *

><p><em>Metropolis-2009<em>

_Batman looked at all the thugs that were now unconscious in front of him on the ground. Other than one or two lucky ones that managed to catch him off guard with a stray punch or kick, he was able to dispatch them with ease. Although his leg started to hurt like hell again, he did his best to convince himself it was all in his head. He began to walk around and examine the thugs. It seemed Ra's had lowered his standards on his recruitment for the Society of Shadows. But still there was no sign of the mysterious Deathstroke. Perhaps the Intel was wrong. But then Batman heard the sound of a sarcastic slow clap and looked up on the next floor of the warehouse to see standing over him was a figure in the shadows._

"_**Impressive,"**__ the mysterious figure noted. __**"For an old man."**_

_Batman said nothing and glared at the newcomer while secretly dropping his hand onto his utility belt to get ready to pull out whatever he needed._

"_**I guess it is time we introduce ourselves properly,"**__ the figure challenged. Before Batman could react, the man, with agility unrealistic for his size, jumped over the railing and did two airborne somersaults before landing on his feet, five yards away from Batman. The man had his hands out for balance as he stuck the landing before slowly standing up to his full height. Batman could finally see his full body properly now. It was covered in a black and orange patterned armor. Batman noticed the man had a large sword slung on his back with a machine gun and two pistols at his side. Most striking of all though was the man's face. He wore a mask that was half black on his left side and half orange on the other. Both of the man's menacing dark eyes peaked out of the slits on the mask. They seemed to actually glow a faint yellow although Batman felt his own eyes had played tricks on him. This assassin was still just a man. He was probably more about theatricality than actual substance. Nonetheless Batman was careful to be on his guard._

"_Deathstroke," he said calmly._

"_**I'm glad the World's Greatest Detective has heard of my name,"**__ Deathstroke responded._

"_Only rumors," Batman noted. "From what I've heard you're nothing more than the cliché military super soldier experiment gone wrong."_

"_**I don't like your tone,"**__ Deathstroke noted. __**"You imply that I didn't earn my reputation."**_

"_All I know is Slade Wilson didn't exist until around a year and a half ago."_

"_**You're sharp enough to know that's not my real name**__," Deathstroke replied. __**"Although I do know yours, Bruce."**_

_Batman didn't react at all._

"_Is that supposed to surprise me?" Batman noted dryly. "You work for Ra's al Ghul. He knows who I am."_

"_**Speaking of Ra's, I don't understand why you always rejected his offer to take his place. The man welcomed you with open arms and you scorned him every time."**_

"_Ra's is nothing more than a terrorist and you're nothing more than his enforcer."_

"_**I am a soldier**__," Deathstroke snapped. __**"I always have been. Even when I was betrayed by those who used me for their selfish interests I still always saw myself as a soldier willing to fight the good fight. And that is where the Society of Shadows came in because Ra's al Ghul is the only one who understands what the good fight is."**_

"_I've heard Ra's spiel," Batman retorted. "I don't need to hear it again."_

"_**Oh you misunderstand me Batman, I'm not trying to recruit you," **__Deathstroke noted as his hands went to his hips, dangerously close to his two pistols. __**"I'm trying to distract you!"**_

_Deathstroke unleashed a barrage of bullets from his two handguns that he had quickly drawn from his hips. Batman had already seen it coming and was prepared. Jumping back while throwing a pair of battarangs, he got out of harm's way to see the two battarangs hit both of Deathstroke's hands. The man didn't even grimace as he unintentionally dropped his guns and instead quickly made his way towards Batman._

"_**Hiyah!"**__ Deathstroke yelled as he threw up a kick. Batman barely got out of the way and blocked it. So far the rumors about Deathstroke being a super soldier seemed to be true. His unnatural speed was catching Batman off guard. _

"_**Hiyah!"**__ Deathstroke grunted again as he went for a few jabs. The Dark Knight was on the defensive now. It was time to gain the upper hand again. Quickly the Batman feinted with a lunge while one hand pulled out two smoke pellet balls out of his utility belt. Much to the surprise of Batman, Deathstroke had managed to swat the pellets away out of Batman's hand before he could throw them. The pellets flew to the other side of the warehouse where they uselessly unleashed smoke to cover empty space. Deathstroke however had wasted no time and continued his assault on Batman._

"_**You used to be good in your prime, Wayne. I can understand why Ra's wanted you so much, but you've gotten old and predictable."**_

_Batman blocked another blow and managed to get a good elbow at Deathstroke's head._

"_**Nnnngh!"**__ Deathstroke grunted but remained unfazed and continued his sparring against Batman. _"_**I've study your tactics all too well, I know every trick of yours."**_

_Batman growled and did his best to keep the fast assassin at bay. While he would die before admitting it, Deathstroke was right. He had so far managed to block almost every blow and counterattack. It also didn't help that Batman felt spasms in his legs again on top of losing stamina while Deathstroke remained unfazed. Then Deathstroke unsheathed the large sword from his back._

"_**I'm done playing around. Let's see you get out of this one."**_

_Deathstroke swung his sword as Batman held up a gauntlet. Amused, Deathstroke brought it down again while Batman barely managed to dodge it._

"_**Hiaahh!"**__ Deathstroke yelled and continued to try to bring his sword against Batman. If it wasn't for his armored gauntlets, Batman probably would've been defeated by now. It seemed Ra's had also been teaching Deathstroke how to fence. Batman knew he was in a losing battle and wasn't in a favorable area. He would have to try to take Deathstroke out using the terrain to his advantage. Still using his gauntlets to block Deathstroke's sword, Batman slowly moved his feet to the side, towards the middle of the warehouse. Deathstroke continued his unrelenting assault and followed Batman. They were in the shadow of a large stack of crates when Batman made his move. Batman threw a large battarang which Deathstroke dodged with ease. Quickly taking advantage of Batman being unguarded, Deathstroke kicked the Dark Knight before he could react._

"_Unnghh…" Batman grunted as he was knocked off his feet to the ground just as his battarang embedded itself in one of the bottom crates in the stack. Deathstroke quickly took advantage of the stunned Batman and placed his armored foot on Batman's chest while pointing the sword at his throat._

"_**You gave up your position for a wild battarang throw?"**__ Deathstroke taunted. __**"I thought you were better than that."**_

"_I am," Batman shot back as the embedded battarang behind Deathstroke lit up._

_BBBBOOOOOOOOMMMM!_

_The battarang exploded, destroying the bottom crates of the stack. Deathstroke turned around to see all the crates in the warehouse behind him falling towards him. Batman took advantage of this and freed himself. He tried to sprint away as far as he could._

"_NNNNARRRGHHH!" Batman grunted in pain as the top crates of the stack landed on him._

_CRASH!_

"_MMMMHHH…" Batman moaned through closed lips. He felt pain all over his body but especially in his leg. However, for the time being he didn't feel any permanent damage and quickly forced his way out from the rubble of wood. Fighting his way out, he stumbled to his feet and looked around. The entire main area of the warehouse was covered in wreckage. Luckily he wasn't too hurt from any of the falling crates or their cargo. Usually he wouldn't attempt a move that risky but he was in a bind earlier. Suddenly he heard a threatening noise and turned around. He realized it was the faint sound of an alarm. He needed to locate Deathstroke and get out soon because he didn't want to deal with the Metropolis Police or Superman. However Batman realized someone was behind him. Turning back around again he saw a sword embedded in the ground. Batman realized the sword was shaking slightly, indicating it had just been impaled there while he was distracted by the alarm. Batman looked around but didn't see anything. Plus his senses were a little dull from the last stunt he pulled. Before he could figure out where Deathstroke was in the warehouse, he noticed a note was on the sword. Batman quickly picked up the note and read it:_

"_I could've killed you right there but you're old and part of a dying breed. I'm giving you a handicap. I'll spare your life two more times when I have the opportunity to kill you but after that, it's over. Take this as a warning. You are a relic of the old world order; an old man past his prime. The times are changing; you are the past and I am the future. Stay out of our way and you might survive the Purge. The Apocalypse of '09 is coming Batman, and you can't stop it."_

_Batman crumpled the note in his hands angrily. This wasn't a warning, but an attempt to hurt his pride. There was no way Deathstroke could've written that note after the crates blew up. He had already written it earlier and had planned to leave it to Batman as a taunt. So Ra's had a new disciple with a bit of an attitude? Well they both were going to be in for a surprise. He had stopped Ra's before and he would do it again. Taking one last angry glare at the warehouse, the Batman turned and made his way to escape. There was no good in trying to hunt Deathstroke now. He had to return to Gotham and try to look over whatever clues he had left._


	4. Happy New Year

_Kasnia-2005_

"_I must warn you, your Majesty. It is ill advised to be alone with a prisoner," the guard objected._

"_I will be fine," Audrey dismissed. "He can't harm me from his cell. I order you to not come inside or let anyone else in until I depart."_

_The guard bowed uneasily as he opened the door. Audrey stepped inside the damp dungeon and suppressed the urge to cough. The place reeked of decay and mold. However, she had more important issues to worry about and ignored her feelings of disgust as she walked further down. Most of the cells were empty but still indicated the past abuses of the many monarchs, sultans, dictators, governors, and tyrants who tried to assert their authority over the Kasnian lands. Audrey had decided to make good on her promise of a fresh start for her country and not resort to the previous inhumane methods that earlier rulers relied on. Yet that didn't stop her for allowing an exception for one particular prisoner. She had finally reached the last and only occupied cell in the old dungeon. Its one occupant was fast asleep or at least pretending to sleep on the cot._

"_You better not be dead yet," Audrey mocked. "I don't want you to die before I prove you wrong."_

"_**On the contrary, your Majesty**__," Vox croaked with his voice box which sounded weak and damaged. _"_**I want to be around for this turning point in your reign."**_

_The man rolled over and stumbled off the cot. His hair was even longer than the last time she saw him. His beard had almost reached his waist. Audrey thought she saw some bugs and lice infested in it as well. But the most striking feature of his appearance was still his haughty brown eyes that carried a look of composed pride. Despite his condition, Vox still carried himself in a dignified manner._

"_**Have you come to finally seek my counsel?"**__ Vox asked as his raised eyebrows expressed his hope._

"_If I had to choose between the devil and you for advice," Audrey whispered. "I would book a trip down to Hell immediately."_

"_**Yet you're here,"**__ Vox noted sharply._

"_Don't flatter yourself," Audrey warned. "I'm only here to tell you it's over."_

"_**I beg your pardon your Majesty?"**_

"_It's over," Audrey reiterated. "You were wrong. Kasnia will finally have peace without the barrel of a gun."_

"_**There can be no peace unless you expel the filth from our lands and step into the blood that awaits**__," Vox retorted. __**"Your father pretended he didn't believe in that yet he had no problem turning a blind eye when men like me purged our-"**_

"_Pfftt!" _

_Audrey in anger had spat in the prisoner's face. Vox didn't even flinched but showed slight amusement at her childlike outburst._

"_You're wrong," Audrey disagreed. "And I'm about to prove it to you next week. The summit is happening despite your assertions. Nardoc's disciples, Northerners, Southerners, Serb-Kasnians, Muslims, Sacrians, and even Yugoslav nationalists are all sending their representatives to it. The people of my kingdom are tired of fighting and want to come together finally. I will unite these lands in peace once and for all."_

"_**And you've selected the city of Napredak as the place to hold your summit,"**__ Vox noted. __**"A very unwise choice of venue your Majesty."**_

_Audrey's face froze in surprise at her prisoner's knowledge. Vox chuckled at her reaction._

"_**You may be Queen of Kasnia, by I still have many loyal and sympathetic men in your government. You forget before my fall from grace this country considered me as a hero. Although I've been 'exiled' indefinitely, there are many loyal men who still make sure that I remain up to date on events happening outside my cell."**_

"_Perhaps I should get the names of the men who have fed the information to you," Audrey threatened. "I wouldn't mind forcing those names out of you."_

"_**You could try,"**__ Vox offered. __**"But I haven't cracked yet. I've been imprisoned and tortured before in service to my people and I never once talked before they took my voice away to punish me. You may not like me, your Majesty, but I've done more for this country than what your father ever did."**_

_Audrey eyed Vox angrily before deciding to change the subject to gain the upper hand._

"_Why do you think it would be unwise of me to hold the summit right in the heart of Kasnia? Napredak is the jewel of our nation. Every faction, tribe, and party may have its own agenda, but all respect that city more than anything else. It will be symbolically important to our unity."_

"_**Unity?"**__ Vox laughed. __**"There will be no unity in Kasnia while you still let scum walk freely in our lands."**_

_Vox leaned in the bars as if to whisper to the young monarch, even though it was only the two of them in the dungeon still._

"_**Napredak has a large population of not just Kasnians but also Serbs, Muslims, and especially Sacrians. These ethnic impurities all hate you just like how they hate all Kasnians. The Serbs want us back under their control, the Muslims occupied our lands for centuries, and the Sacrians betrayed us to the Muslims. They all hate you and everything Kasnian. Do you think one olive branch will get them to stop hating you and our people? No, they will fight until all of us are dead. That is why you need men like me. This kingdom needs leaders who can seek out and destroy our enemies before they try to wipe us out."**_

_Audrey silently stood there as the former colonel coldly warned her. She kept her emotions in check this time but her posture did give off her uncertainty and nervousness._

"_**Your Majesty, I beg of you,"**__ Vox pleaded as he now gave off a humble look. __**"Don't host the summit. You can't trust the non-Kasnians of Napredak."**_

"_I've had enough with your fascism," Audrey dismissed. "You're nothing more than the remains of a diminishing era. I seek to propel Kasnia into the future and not let your hatred weaken it."_

_Audrey then courageously leaned into the bars so she was only millimeters from Vox's face._

"_I and Kasnia will prove you wrong. We will become a free, progressive country while you rot here for the rest of your miserable life."_

_And with that, Audrey turned around and confidently walked out. Vox just stood in his cell and grasped the bars as the Queen of Kasnia exited out of the dungeon._

"_**Your Majesty, I'm a patient man. Sooner or later you will see things my way or suffer the consequences."**_

* * *

><p><em>Metropolis-December 31, 2017<br>_

"Should all acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?" Erik sang as he strummed the guitar gently. The little girl smiled at him.

"See, I knew you could smile!" Erik teased and went down to pick up the little girl. Diana sat at her desk and watched as Erik played with the girl she had found on the streets a week ago.

"You're so cute," Erik cooed as he began to spin around with the girl who giggled at him.

"Sorry I'm late!" an exasperated voice called from the office entrance. Stumbling in and almost dropping the documents she carried clumsily, Etta managed to reach the desk and drop her purse.

"So sorry Mad-mad-madame Ambassador," Etta replied while taking deep breaths. "I missed the bus and had to run here."

"It's alright Etta," Diana assured. "How was your week off?"

"Oh it was great! Went to see my dad in the hospital. I think he could actually hear me this time," Etta trailed off before noticing Erik was in there holding a little girl.

"Oh my!" Etta squealed. "Who's this little cutie?"

Etta walked up to Erik and the little girl who on Etta's approach, immediately placed her face into Erik's shoulder as if to hide.

"Awwwww," Etta replied. "Don't be shy."

"It's okay," Erik assured the little girl. "Etta here is just a little-er friendly."

The little girl nervously looked over at Etta but didn't say anything.

"She's a little skittish," Diana explained. "She'll come around to you eventually."

"Who is she?" Etta asked her boss curiously.

"I found her on the streets on Christmas Day. I took her in and-"

"Oh you poor thing!" Etta cried, and turned back around to look at the girl who still regarded Etta with fear.

"Out on the streets by yourself," Etta moaned sympathetically and tried to get closer to the girl who once again buried her face into Erik's shoulder as if to hide herself.

"Etta I think you might be coming at her a little too strong," Erik whispered.

"Nonsense!" Etta said, ignoring Erik's advice. "She loves Aunt Etta! Give her to me!"

And before Erik could protest, Etta grabbed the half-terrified girl. The girl squirmed a little bit before Etta sat down with her on the couch.

"It's okay Sweetie," Etta assured although the girl didn't seem to believe her. Erik almost laughed but a warning glare from Diana stopped him in his tracks.

"It's alright," Etta whispered to the girl who still looked like she didn't want to be near Etta at all.

"Oh my God!" Etta screeched causing Erik to flinch a little. He always secretly hated her screechy voice whenever she got excited.

"What is it?" Diana asked.

"There are scars on her arms," Etta noted. "You poor baby."

"I know," Diana admitted. "I figured she must've been abused which is why I took her in. I talked to Police Chief Maggie Sawyer off the record and she said to wait until she could unearth something. I didn't want to have child services come take her and whoever has been hurting her tracks her down again."

"Well I can tell you right now if I find the creep that's been burning this poor angel, I'll make sure to give him a piece of my mind!" Etta promised.

"I'm sorry, did you say burn?" Erik pried

"You guys can't tell?" Etta asked as the still squirming girl tried to escape the oblivious Etta's arms. "These are burn scars!"

"Burn scars?" Diana repeated as her eyebrow cocked in interest.

"Yup!" Etta nodded.

"How do you know that?" Erik inquired, feeling skeptical that Etta possessed the observation skills to identify types of wounds.

"Because I'm a burn survivor myself," Etta said proudly. "Got burned by a bad man when I was young. Not to mention my house had been burnt down twice growing up as well."

"Probably because you forgot to turn off the gas stove," Erik muttered under his breath. Diana's superhearing had picked up the smart-ass remark and gave him the evil eye before standing up and walking over to Etta and the little girl.

"I didn't know you were a burn victim," Diana admitted sympathetically. Now she felt guilty for being put off by the heavy amount of makeup Etta always wore.

"You can't tell can you?" Etta said proudly. "It's great what plastic surgery and make up can do these days."

"Too bad they can't add more brain cells," Erik whispered under his breath again. Diana made sure to elbow him this time. Diana then bent down to grab the little girl again who seemed happy to be away from Etta's smothering arms. She carefully examined the little girl's scars. Someone had burned this cute, innocent girl? But why?

"Does she have a name?" Etta asked curiously.

"Anya," Erik said. "At least we think so. She hasn't said an entire word the whole week. It was etched on the necklace she wears."

Anya meanwhile seemed to have calmed down in Diana's arms. Unfortunately the child's moment of peace ended quickly as Etta once again shoved her face into the little girl.

"Well Anya, it's nice to meet yo-OH MY GOD!" Etta said in baby talk before suddenly squealing. Everyone flinched at the sudden uptake of Etta's pitch.

"You're engaged!" Etta shouted while pointing to the ring on Diana's hand she had just noticed.

"Yes we are," Diana said quickly, hoping it would mask the fact she still hadn't decided about her mother's offer.

"And we would appreciate it if you kept this quiet," Erik added on. "While I did propose to her last week, we wanted to announce it to the public tonight at the concert."

"Oh that is so romantic!" Etta cried while clutching her chest. "You'll announce your engagement at the New Year's Eve parade!"

"Yes and we'd appreciate no one finds out about this beforehand," Erik reiterated, hoping Etta would pick up on the warning tone in his voice this time.

"Oh you don't have to worry about me!" Etta promised. "I'll be quiet as a mouse!"

Etta then did a zipping motion along her lips as the phone blared.

"Oh I better get that!" Etta cried in sudden realization and scurried over to her desk to answer the phone. "Themyscira Embassy. No –er I mean yes she's here right now, who is this? Oh! Okay! We'll be there!"

Etta then hung up the phone and looked at Diana.

"We need to head to the UN in fifteen minutes," Etta explained.

"Etta I told you I'm working from the embassy today," Diana reminded. "I'm not going to the UN."

"But it was from Ambassador Vox's office-"

"Etta it's just another feeble attempt to ruin my holidays out of spite," Diana assured while handing Anya to Erik. "Whatever is pressing him can wait tomorrow."

"But-"

"Etta if he calls again tell him I'm at a Justice League emergency or something. I got a lot of other work to do and don't have time to play Vox's games."

"But he says he needs you for a teleconference call with the Kasnian President!" Etta blurted out before Diana could cut her off again. Diana paused and mulled over what Etta relayed to her. If this was just one of Vox's usual stunts, he wouldn't have gotten the Kasnian President involved. In fact for all Diana knew, it was the Kasnian President who ordered Vox to call her in. Still though, the Amazon had half her mind to blow it off but remembered Kasnian support was crucial for her environmental treaty. She could afford to take one hour to talk to the Kasnian President.

"Fine," Diana relented. "But I swear to Athena if this is another one of Vox's cry wolf tricks, I'm going to hang him upside down from the ball drop tonight."

* * *

><p><em>Somewhere in Metropolis<em>

"I'm beginning to think you're not up for the job," Zara snarled. Deathstroke didn't show any reaction to Zara's disappointment and continued to lazily toss a knife in his hand out of boredom.

"**Oh really?"** Deathstroke asked. **"And why is that?"**

"A week has passed and you still haven't found her," Zara reminded. "We hired you because our benefactor recommended you highly but you can't even seem to find a little girl. I think maybe your reputation was just lies. In fact I'm skeptical that you've even killed someone before."

Deathstroke suddenly paused. Although he had his mask on, his one visible eyed narrowed dangerously to indicate he didn't enjoy Zara's accusation. Zara's bodyguard flexed his muscles and cracked his knuckles threateningly behind his mistress to signal he was ready if the assassin decided to react violently.

"**I suppose your right," **Deathstroke whispered before jerking his wrist forward. The bodyguard cried in pain as the knife stuck out of his shoulder. Zara jumped up in shock. But before she could react or call the other guards for help, she found two guns pointed at her. Zara eyed the weapons but kept her composure and sat back down.

"**Don't worry about him,"** Deathstroke assured. **"It's only a flesh wound. But since I have your attention, let's clear the air."**

Deathstroke sat back down but still kept one hand up to point his weapon at Zara.

"**First off, you hired me for an assassination. I will find your missing girl eventually but carrying out the job you paid me for is my priority. Secondly it was your people, not me, who lost the girl so you can't blame me for the incompetence of your subordinates. Lastly, do you know how old I was when I first killed someone?"**

Zara didn't say anything as her bodyguard in humiliation got to his feet behind her.

"**I was still just a boy,"** Deathstroke commented. **"I remember my hands shaking when I first killed someone and the terror and horror I felt as I saw the light leave their eyes while their blood spilled all over their chest. But buried deep beyond the feelings of fear and horror, I felt burning satisfaction and euphoria. At that moment I had discovered how therapeutic killing was for me."**

Deathstroke had pride and nostalgia in his one eye.

"**Ever since then, I've felt no remorse nor pause when I kill my targets. In fact I enjoy killing very much. Human life is irrelevant to me as long as I get paid. So I do think I'm the right man for your job. You'll find no one else that has a knack for murder as much as I do."**

Deathstroke looked over Zara to eye her bodyguard who cowered behind her chair.

"**I'm a man of many talents, but the one thing I take pride in the most is my ability to find my targets and kill them. If you still don't believe me I can give a demonstration right now."**

Zara finally decided to speak.

"What good is the assassination if our first attack can't be carried out simultaneously with it?" Zara snapped. "We needed_ her_ found by today so we could coordinate our attack with the assassination tonight. How can we have our revenge against both your target and Wonder Woman if we can't carry out the attack?"

Deathstroke finally dropped his weapon and got to his feet.

"**Call off the attack,"** Deathstroke offered nonchalantly.

"Excuse me?"

"**Call off the attack,"** Deathstroke repeated. **"Like you said, without the girl you can't do it."**

"We've been planning this for years and you think you have the right to give us orders?"

"**Not orders but free advice,"** Deathstroke countered. **"And here's some more."**

Deathstroke leaned over the desk so his masked face was inches from Zara's. Her bodyguard had quickly backed up against the wall.

"**I would still carry out the assassination though. At least you'll get fifty percent of your revenge tonight. Tonight is the only time the target will be vulnerable for a long time. And plus I've worked hard planning on killing him the past month and would just hate to see my plan nixed. Regardless whether you decide to continue on with the assassination or not, I still expect to get paid for my time."**

The assassin then got up and exited out of the room.

"**And as for the girl, I will find her before your next scheduled attack. And don't worry about Wonder Woman. There are other ways you can get your revenge on her."**

* * *

><p><em>Metropolis-UN Headquarters<em>

"Right this way Madame Ambassador," the guard instructed as he led Diana across the UN with Etta tagging along. The guard then opened the conference room and Diana stepped inside to find Vox already sitting there. Diana shot a quick glare in his direction to remind him she hadn't forgotten about his stunt on Christmas. Etta meanwhile, as if sensing the tension, avoided eye contact with anyone and looked at the ground nervously. Diana then turned her attention to the television in the room to find a small man with a curly moustache staring at her.

"President Dragovic," Diana greeted respectfully before bowing.

"_Ambassador,"_ the president nodded back. _"It's a pleasure as always."_

"This is my secretary, Ms. Candy," Diana explained and gestured at Etta who looked back up to wave her hand rapidly at the television like a child. Vox let out a smirk and Diana resisted the urge to give him another glare.

"I usually have her accompany me to meetings to record things. I'd like her to be here as well if you don't mind."

"_No of course not,"_ Dragovic assured as he gestured forward. _"Please take a seat."_

Diana took a seat at the table across from Vox but ignored his eyes. Etta meanwhile placed herself on the other end of the table and got out a pen and paper to indicate she would take notes. She seemed once again determined to not look up and make eye contact with anyone in the room, especially Vox.

"_We've brought you here because some rather-uh, disturbing news has come up."_

"**For the record Madame Ambassador,"** Vox chimed in. **"I didn't feel the need to call you in considering I see this as just strictly Kasnian business."**

President Dragovic's face stiffened for a second. Diana figured after almost ten years Dragovic would have grown used to Vox's insubordination by now. But the president looked stunned that Vox would once again demonstrate his own rebelliousness to Dragovic's authority, especially in front of another ambassador. However, the president recovered and kept his face as a cool professional.

"_The reason I felt the need to call the ambassador of Themyscira in today was the threat made a reference to her."_

"A threat?" Diana asked in mild curiosity.

"_Across many local Kasnian websites the other day," _President Dragovic explained_. "Some hackers have tried to post a strange video message that made some interesting threats. Our own cybersercuity force managed to take most of the videos down before they became viral. Most of the general Kasnian populace thankfully didn't see them. And we would prefer to keep it that way to avoid causing panic within our own population when our centennial celebration is around the corner. You understand of course?"_

"I don't question your policies," Diana assured. "Although I'm curious as to why I'm still needed for an internet threat."

Dragovic shifted slightly in his seat.

"_These videos aren't just typical protest viral videos. They advocated violence and threatened terrorism. Not to mention the makers of these videos appear to have a grudge against you along with Kasnia."_

"Me?" Diana asked in surprise.

"_I think it's better if you see the video itself," _Dragovic explained. _"Ambassador Vox, if you will."_

Vox, who still looked half-bored pulled out a remote and pushed a button. The television changed into a different broadcast. Diana realized the video looked like someone recorded it with a home video camera. Standing in the video was a big man who wore a black mask that covered his face except for his piercing eyes. He stood in front of what looked like a white cloth etched with a strange symbol. But Diana's attention still focused on the man and his disturbing eyes.

"_**Hello Kasnians,"**_ the man began although his voice was distorted. "_**By the end of this week you will not only be celebrating the end of the year but the beginning of your deluge!"**_

Diana saw Etta looking at the video with interest while still writing notes at a rapid pace.

"_**For years you have persecuted our people, murdered our women and children, stole our lands, and attempted more than once to wipe out our culture. You've convinced the rest of the world your country is at peace, but it is built on lies. You hid the horrors and slaughter of thousands from the rest of the world. You've let murderers avoid justice for the crimes they committed against us."**_

Diana couldn't help but slightly turn her gaze on Vox at the last line. Vox's alleged involvement in the many war crimes during the last civil war was still a controversial issue to many individuals in the international circle.

"_**But worst of all, you let yourself become the puppets of Western decadent pigs like Wonder Woman."**_

Diana's face darted forward back at the screen. A western decadent pig? She may have had experienced being a pig once, but decadent?

"_**As the rest of the world chose to believe your lies and hide itself from the truth, we have patiently kept the fire burning. You've forgotten that we even existed and have let your guard down. But now the time has come. The Crimson Flame has returned to impart judgment on Kasnia and the world for its sins."**_

Etta had stopped taking notes at this point.

"_**Our leader Zara will guide us to victory! We will carry out Ahriman's work and purge the world of the wicked! All of you will face judgment for your crimes!"**_

Diana could see that Vox didn't seem to care for the video at all and looked at it with an apathetic frown.

"_**By the New Year, we will sentence two criminals to their fates. The first one will be the monster that butchered our people; the second criminal is the emblem of lies who helped cover it up. We are the Crimson Flame; and we have come for our revenge!"**_

The camera then zoomed into the fierce eyes.

"_**You will all burn!"**_

The feed went dead and Vox lazily hit another button, changing the screen back to President Dragovic. Diana made sure to keep her poise and not give any reaction to what she just saw. Sure the video did make threats to a lot of people and even made a jab at her, but she still didn't feel any cause to worry. Etta on the other hand seemed very nervous after watching the video.

"_As you can, see Madame Ambassador, this video does make some very dangerous threats at our people and even mentions you. While it is possibly just a prank or the work of amateurs, we still have to take threats like this seriously."_

"I understand," Diana agreed. "I just have a few questions to ask."

"_Go ahead,"_ the president prompted.

"What is the Crimson Flame?" Diana asked curiously.

"**A fictional sports team,"** Vox interjected. **"Sacrian traitors invoke it all the time as a rallying call against Kasnia."**

"_The Crimson Flame,"_ Dragovic continued as if Vox didn't say anything. _"Was allegedly an organization consisting of the Kasnian Zoroastrian populace known as the Sacrians. During the Turkish occupation of our lands, the Turks often employed Sacrians to help aid them assert Turkish dominion and the Crimson Flame was supposedly a secret Sacrian organization dedicated to quietly quelling any rebellions from the Kasnians. The Crimson Flame was often used as a symbol of fear against Kasnians to scare them away from revolting-"_

"**It's nothing but a glorified ghost story,"** Vox dismissed. **"The Sacrians didn't need any espionage or secrets; they had no problem stabbing the Kasnians in the front when the Turks occupied them. The Crimson Flame is nothing but an old symbol of Sacrian treachery."**

"_Thank you for sharing your opinions ambassador,"_ President Dragovic added in a flustered voice. _"But you called this meeting because we have more important things to discuss with her and not your opinion on the validity of the Crimson Flame."_

"You called this meeting?" Diana asked while looking at Vox.

"**As I said previously,"** Vox reminded**. "I believed this meeting didn't need your presence but because the president insisted, I invited you. I didn't want to waste your precious time if I felt like I didn't have to."**

"Thank you for the consideration," Diana replied sarcastically.

"_If everyone can please calm down,"_ Dragovic begged. _"We didn't just call the ambassador in to give her a history lesson of Kasnia. We came here because this video threat also concerns the environmental treaty."_

"Really?" Diana asked in confusion. "How so?"

Vox stood up with a wicked smile on his face.

"**While I do think these threats are nothing more than the work of some incompetent Sacrian agitators,"** Vox explained. **"Because we still take threats like this seriously, we need to take proper precautions. Since the threats also mentioned you and foreign intervention, it is clear Kasnia's involvement in the environmental treaty has sparked this sentiment. It is understandable that some people in Kasnia would see this treaty as putting Kasnia at the mercy of other countries' rules and guidelines which is still a sore issue with our people after years of occupation by the Turks and Serbs. Thus I proposed to the president that Kasnia back out of the treaty at once."**

"What?" Diana snapped in disbelief. "You can't be serious!"

"**Like the president said earlier,"** Vox reminded with a satisfied grin. **"We have to take all threats seriously."**

"The treaty has nothing to do with that video!" Diana yelled back. She should've seen this coming. Vox had done his best the past few months to drag his feet and stall the proceedings of the treaty to spite her. Of course he would use something like a potential threat of terrorism as an excuse to derail it completely.

"_Ambassador please,"_ Dragovic interjected. _"He does have a point."_

"You don't actually agree with him do you?"

"_While most of the threats the video made were vague," _Dragovic admitted. _"We can't ignore the fact that the treaty has sparked controversy within our borders. In fact the treaty may have inspired the video threat or similar sentiments."_

"**Which is why I demand we back out of the treaty at once,"** Vox reminded.** "After all, we don't want another war do we?"**

"Don't act like you're doing this in the name of peace!" Diana accused and shot Vox the deadliest glare she could muster.

"M-m-madame Am-ambassador…" Etta stuttered nervously.

"You've sabotaged this every time you could!" Diana continued. "You're just doing this to get back at me! Is that what you want?"

"**I only serve the interests of Kasnia,"** Vox retorted with a smug grin on his face. **"To accuse me of manipulating my country's foreign policy for childish notions of payback is insulting."**

Diana felt her left hand twitch while Dragovic sat helplessly still in his seat. Etta meanwhile huddled in the corner. Only Vox showed no fear and glared back at Diana's challenging leer with his usual arrogant smile.

"**I do feel there's no other reason for me to stay,"** Vox noted and looked at the television. "**Happy New Year Mr. President. I'll be flying in tomorrow."**

Vox then looked at the still glaring Diana before giving a patronizing bow.

"**Have a good day, Madame Ambassador."**

And with that Vox turned around and strutted out of the conference room. Diana wanted to throw something but barely managed to squash those violent urges and looked back at the television.

"You know you can't back out!" Diana pleaded. "Without Kasnia, we lose the Balkans and completely derail the process."

"_I understand you've put a lot of effort in the treaty, Madame Ambassador,"_ Dragovic assured. _"And I promise you, Kasnia isn't backing out. We just temporarily suspended involvement until the controversy dies down."_

"That's not good enough!" Diana pleaded. "Without the Balkans, Russia or China will use it as an excuse to back out as well. We need you Dragovic!"

"_But my people need me as well,"_ Dragovic retorted. _"I have to do what's in the best interest of my nation. I can't provoke any of the factions to lash out violently at a time like this. Kasnia's centennial celebration is coming up soon and it can't be seen divided for symbolic reasons. Once the celebration is over I promise to restart talks again about the treaty. But until then, Kasnia will have no more involvement with it. Good day Madame Ambassador."_

And before he could let Diana give a rebuttal, Dragovic quickly shut off the television screen. With an angry sigh, Diana placed both her hands on the conference table for support as she hunched over.

"Hera," Diana moaned to herself.

"I'm…I'm sorry Ma'am," Etta apologized nervously.

"It's not your fault," Diana assured.

"I know I'm just trying to make you feel better," Etta admitted.

"It's Vox's fault," Diana muttered. "He manipulated this whole thing for his benefit."

"Probably because no one has ever called him out," Etta suggested. "I mean he just walks over everybody because everyone felt they needed him to keep Kasnia peaceful. But I mean that was a decade ago right? Do we really need to appease him anymore?"

Diana paused to think of Etta's statement before getting her arms off the table.

"You're right Etta," Diana declared angrily.

"Huh? What are you doing?" Etta asked nervously. But Diana didn't respond and stormed out of the conference room with Etta helplessly following her.

"B-b-but Madame Ambassador…" Etta protested so softly that not even Diana's superhearing could hear it. Etta continued to follow her boss as she stormed around the UN until they reached the lobby. Vox was there, currently talking to what looked like the ambassador of Croatia.

"Vox!" Diana shouted angrily.

"Oh dear," Etta moaned. The Croatian ambassador and everyone in the lobby jumped at the sound of Diana's angry outburst. Vox however calmly turned around and looked back at Diana as if he expected this reaction.

"**Yes?"** Vox asked.

"Don't play that game with me anymore!" Diana warned and stomped towards him. "I swear to Hades I'm done with you!"

"Madame Ambassador!" an official cried as he ran up to the angry Amazon. "I insist you keep-"

"No more," Diana snapped and completely brushed off the official. To her, the only person in the room was Vox. He continued to stand calmly as Diana approached him. Even though he was taller than her, he knew she could easily hurt him. However he refused to let her intimidate him and focused on the satisfaction he got from finally getting the stuck-up Amazon to snap.

"**I must say, Ambassador Diana, I'm a little shocked by your crude behavior."**

"Hera, enough of this! You destroyed the treaty on purpose!"

"**I'm sorry but I serve Kasnia first, not your vanity projects."**

"You don't care about Kasnia, you never had! All of you cared about is yourself! You destroyed this treaty to spite me!"

Vox actually for once dropped the amused look on his face and looked at Diana with much venom.

"**How dare you put my patriotism in question? I gave everything for my country, including my own voice!"**

"You helped bring your country to the brink of self-destruction!" Diana snapped back. By now the fight had attracted a large crowd in the lobby. No one really knew what to do or whether someone should step in.

"**Are you making accusations that I've been cleared of**?" Vox demanded. **"Last time I checked the UN declared me free from any wrong doing."**

"You know I know the truth about you," Diana accused. "You just got lucky. You made the deal at the right time to save your skin. And that's all you've ever cared about. Everything you've done has been for yourself. And that's why you sabotaged my treaty so you could have your petty revenge against me. Well, I'm done with this. I'm not going to take this from you anymore!"

"**Careful Ambassador, you sound like you're getting ready for war."**

"I'm not," Diana promised. "I have no issue with your country, my issue is with you. Your president may roll over for you, but I'm an Amazon and I won't back down!"

"**Then what are you going to do?"** Vox challenged and leaned a little closer. **"Strike me?"**

Before Diana could answer, it appeared Etta had found her legs again and ran up to her boss.

"M-m-madame Ambassador!" Etta squeaked nervously as she put a hand on Diana's shoulder. "This isn't the time!"

Somehow Etta seemed to have dragged Diana back to reality. Diana blinked and realized that a large crowd had gathered in the lobby to watch her and Vox's argument. Immediately Diana felt embarrassed and felt her heart beat suddenly dropped. Etta was right; she shouldn't act like this in a public place.

"I'm sorry everyone," Diana quickly apologized in an attempt to save face. She then reluctantly turned to Vox.

"I apologize Ambassador Vox. It was very unprofessional of me to lose my temper like that. I didn't mean to threaten or harm you," she said quickly, hoping most people heard her. Although outbursts like this happened all the time between ambassadors in the UN, Diana knew she quickly had to mitigate the potential fallout from this. Thankfully no members of the press were around. She quickly turned around and walked away with Etta as fast as she could.

"Why didn't you stop me?" Diana whispered angrily.

"Well-er…I…er, tried…" Etta offered weakly as they exited the lobby. Vox however still stood in the same spot. He had a troubled look on his face. Something that the Amazon had said disturbed him deeply. However he found his wits again and looked around to find most of the people in the lobby still stared at him with interest.

"**What are you all looking at?"** Vox demanded angrily. **"You heard the ambassador; she apologized. Mind your own business."**

* * *

><p><em>Metro-Training Room<em>

"NNNGH!" Diana grunted as she felt the headbutt.

"Gotcha!" Shayera gloated.

However Diana's pride wouldn't allow her to be setback by the pain so she responded with a feint punch before aiming a well-placed kick at Shayera's bulging belly.

"Oooomph!" Shayera grunted as she went flying across the room and hit the wall.

""Looks like I won this round," Diana commented and helped her pregnant friend up. Luckily Shayera's alien biology allowed her to spar with Diana with no negative repercussions to the fetus growing inside of her.

"Best three out of five?" Shayera asked weakly. Diana chuckled. Shayera hated losing as much as she did.

"I'd love to, but I got to go home and shower. Erik's concert for the parade starts in a few hours. He's going to personally fly a helicopter into the concert and wants me to be there with him."

"Oh yes and of course you want to look your best on TV when he announces your engagement to the paparazzi," Shayera noted. "Just hope your mother hasn't discovered television yet."

Diana's face flushed at that.

"I'm kidding Di!" Shayera quickly responded. "But seriously, as your friend, you need to make a decision eventually. It does no good to keep stalling."

"I know, I know!" Diana snapped. "It's just I'm not in the mood right now to make a decision; especially after what Vox did today."

When Diana had left the UN, she felt angry and upset not only at Vox and the treaty, but at herself for losing her cool in public like that. She thought she had grown up and controlled her temper by now but apparently Vox found a new way to push her buttons. Thankfully Shayera suggested that she and Diana spar to help the Amazon let out a bunch of steam. The sparring had helped Diana a lot. However Shayera bringing up her personal predicament seemed to bring back all the stress.

"Sorry," Shayera apologized.

"No, you're right, as usual. I've just had a rough day and I really don't want to worry about anything for the moment."

"Understandable," Shayera agreed. "What are you going to do about Vox though?"

"The treaty's not dead yet," Diana revealed. "I still have a few cards to play. The silver lining is I really have no incentive to work with Vox anymore. I'm going to do what I can and work around him to reach Dragovic. If it's just the president and me, I can probably convince him to stay on board with the treaty."

"But aren't you worried that the press might catch wind of that little temper tantrum you had this morning? What if Vox tries to leak it to them himself?"

"He won't," Diana assured. "Any press would damage Vox more than me in the long term. He's worked hard to avoid any press coverage on himself in the last decade so that people would forget about the controversy of his pardon. In the meantime I've had Etta call around to make sure no one else has gone leaking to the press that I had a meltdown."

"Etta?" Shayera asked. "That mousy ditz you have as a secretary? You trust her to keep this contained?"

"She's not a ditz!" Diana defended. "She's a sweet girl. A little scatterbrained, but sweet. I mean she spent her vacation visiting her sick father. You don't find many people as loyal as her"

"Uh-huh," Shayera replied. "She may be sweet and loyal, but I'm telling you right now, I wouldn't trust her to change a light bulb. In fact I think the light bulb might outsmart her."

"Etta's been with me for nearly five years and she's the most loyal person I've ever known. In fact I consider her to be a very dear friend to me."

"I know, I know," Shayera quickly said and decided to change the subject. "Are you sure you don't want to do three out of five?"

* * *

><p><em>Metropolis-Times Square<em>

The crowds in the streets below had already reached max capacity and the sun hadn't even set yet. Allegedly there would be record attendance at the annual Metropolis New Year's Eve Ball Drop because of the popularity of the headliner, Erik Bronson. But parades and concerts meant nothing to the man who quietly stood in the shadows of an alley to watch the crowds of happy and intoxicated people get ready to celebrate the end of the year. Instead he watched the sight with bored curiosity before pulling out a phone. The phone called a secure number that only he knew.

"_Yes?"_ a distorted robotic voice asked on the other end of the phone.

"**It's me,"** Deathstroke assured. **"The assassination is still happening tonight."**

"_Good, good,"_ the mysterious person on the other end replied with satisfaction. _"I was afraid Zara would back down from it when she realized she couldn't carry out her attack on the New Year's Eve concert."_

"**I can be very persuasive,"** Deathstroke boasted. **"And she still has no clue that it was I who helped the girl escape."**

"_It is crucial she never finds out,"_ the voice iterated. _"We need Zara to trust you in order to keep you in the game."_

"**When do you want me to finally 'find' the girl?"**

"_Not for a while,"_ the voice explained. _"I want to make Zara sweat a little as the deadline of her next attack draws near so when you do finally hand over the girl, the relief Zara feels will get her to trust you completely."_

"**And what about our dear friend, Wonder Woman? Has she been set up for her destruction yet?"**

"_Yes. My sources indicate the little public outburst she had this morning confirmed what a lot of people secretly think about her. She has no idea how many people don't like or trust her in the foreign policy community. After tonight that distrust will only grow. Wonder Woman has no idea of her imminent ruin and the Crimson Flame has no idea that they are just pawns to our larger goals."_

"**And we should keep it that way,"** Deathstroke warned.

"_I agree. Which is why I propose we go dark for a while. The next few weeks will be crucial and you need to get Zara to trust you. I will only make contact with you again when it's time to re-capture the girl for Zara. Destroy your phone and I'll find another way to contact you. In the meantime, you know what to do."_

The line went dead and Deathstroke stared at his phone. Without a warning he then threw it on the ground. The phone broke into pieces. The mercenary then stomped on the card so it couldn't be reviewed. He then bent down and scooped up the pieces before throwing them into the dumpster. Tonight he would have blood on his sword again.

* * *

><p><em>Gotham-Top Floor of Wayne Enterprises<em>

"Five minutes until midnight!" a drunken board member yelled. Most of the party-goers at the top floor of Wayne Enterprises buzzed with excitement as they watched the ball drop concert in Metropolis on the big screen television. But one guest instead slouched in the shadows and did his best to avoid any social interaction. Bruce Wayne currently stood in the corner of the top floor and had on his face the angriest look he could muster. The less friendly he looked, the less likely anyone would bother to approach him at the party. Although he rarely made public appearances anymore, Bruce occasionally would attend a private party hosted by Wayne Enterprises when Lucius insisted it was a matter of importance. Normally at events like these Bruce made sure all the guests signed agreements that they wouldn't talk about Bruce Wayne to the media afterwards or take any photos of him because he had become something of a Howard Hughes to the gossip columns. A photo of Bruce Wayne now could set you up for life. Most of the public had no idea what he looked like anymore.

However, most guests never realized the angry man with the bushy beard and long hair always sulking in the corner at these parties was once the handsome Bruce Wayne anyways. And Bruce preferred it that way. His disheveled appearance seemed to cause everybody at the party to magically ignore him and pretend he didn't exist which allowed Bruce to be alone with his thoughts. Unfortunately despite the fact he had a glass in his hand filled with something that looked like alcohol, Bruce was completely sober. Although he had long ago stopped his taboo on drinking, he knew he couldn't afford to get drunk at a public place. One wrong slip of the tongue could destroy everything. Ironically though, attending this party and seeing a bunch of people he didn't like or really know make fools out of themselves made Bruce want to drink. Maybe later tonight he could open that expensive bottle of brandy he bought last weekend.

"_How you doing old man?"_ a voice whispered via the commlink in his ear. Bruce frowned and turned around so no one could see him talking.

"Really close to killing myself," he responded sarcastically. "How's the stakeout coming along?"

"_Oh it's great, but it gets a little old watching a bunch of fat Italians eat five helpings of spaghetti."_

"Stay on alert," Bruce warned. "Maroni Jr.'s deal will go down tonight. We need to find out who his new supplier is."

"_I know, I know. Are you going to join me later tonight?"_

"Probably not," Bruce admitted. "By the time I get out of here I'll be too tired."

"_Or too drunk,"_ Batwoman muttered on the other end.

"What was that?"

"_Nothing."_

"Call me if something comes up," Bruce instructed.

"_You got it. Happy New Year."_

The buzzing went dead and Bruce turned back around to face the party. Batwoman's little snide remark was partially true. He probably would start drinking the moment he got home. He needed one badly because he couldn't stand one more minute enduring the insufferable company of the Wayne Enterprises Board. His hands twitched a little. Regretfully he had left his pain pills accidentally behind in the Batcave. If he didn't leave soon though, he knew his leg would start to flare up. Bruce couldn't wait until later that night when he could go home and feel numb again.

"Two minutes!"

"Mr. Wayne!" a sleek voice called out. Bruce closed his eyes. He should've seen this coming.

"I see you hiding in the corner! You can't avoid me forever!" the voice half-joked.

Bruce opened his eyes to see a grinning middle-aged man with dark and silver hair walking towards him. He had big and very shiny teeth that created a smile similar to that of a snake that had just ate a delicious meal. Draped on his arm was a girl who looked to be about a third of his age and probably already saw a plastic surgeon once or twice.

"Mr. Wayne!" the man greeted and offered his free hand to shake. "Happy New Year!"

"Thank you Mr. Lord," Bruce replied bitterly and stared at Maxwell Lord's outstretched hand. "I thought this party was for members of the board only."

"Forgive me," Lord replied as he smoothly put his unshaken hand down. "I just flew in from Metropolis tonight and heard you were having a party and I just couldn't resist crashing it. Don't worry, Jessica and I signed the nondisclosure agreements."

"You didn't say he was so hairy," Jessica whispered in a whiny voice.

"Honey why don't you go get another drink," Lord said without missing a beat. "I have some business to discuss with Mr. Wayne."

Jessica seemed eager for an excuse to be away from Bruce who had a look of murder on his face and she quickly disappeared into the crowd. Lord however wasn't discouraged the slightest.

"As you know Cyber Industries profits have skyrocketed in the last five years-"

"All due to your management I suppose?" Bruce asked rhetorically.

"Well I can't take all the credit but I do feel like I've helped in some way."

"I'm surprised Cyber Industries even let you be CEO in the first place, with that whole Ultimen scandal."

There was an awkward pause and Lord flinched a little but he still kept his smile.

"Well let's just say the board members of Cyber Industries decided to give me an opportunity to redeem my reputation about six years ago. I mean the company started in Kasnia for Christ's sake so they knew how profitable second chances could be. The success of Cyber serves as proof that I'm a very competent man in leading the development of new technologies for the world of tomorrow. I hope you keep that in mind when I make my pitch to you."

And they finally came to the real reason Lord cornered him. Bruce had already tried to tune Lord out. The man just couldn't take no for an answer.

"Less than a minute!"

"I have to confess Mr. Wayne, I didn't just crash your party for fun. I came here in hopes to speak to you in person since your office and Mr. Fox have gone out of their way to prevent me from getting a hold of you."

"And for good reason," Bruce muttered angrily. Lord let out a fake chuckle.

"Of course I understand you aren't interested Mr. Wayne and that's fair enough. But please let me have the opportunity to state my case in person."

"Go ahead," Bruce relented while giving a defeated sigh. He decided to watch the TV that showed the ball dropping in Metropolis. Hopefully watching it would help him ignore Lord.

"Great!" Lord replied with excitement, failing to notice Bruce's lack of enthusiasm. "As you can see, our profits have tripled in the last two years. But the problem with Cyber Industries is our company resources haven't been able to keep up with our demands."

"Thirty seconds!"

"And of course this is where you and Wayne Enterprises come in. I know your company is still profitable but the profit margins haven't been as great as they have been in the past. Not to mention Powers has just forced himself on your board so he can try to make your company focus on risky energy projects. But I think that's a mistake. Wayne Enterprises should go back to its technological roots for economic and security reasons. You understand what I'm getting at of course?"

"Please elaborate," Bruce said, not even paying attention anymore.

"Ten! Nine! Eight!"

"I propose a new deal between my company and yours. A joint venture could make us a powerhouse in the tech industry and defense contracting business. I can show you some of the plans I have to revolutionize both our company infrastructures…"

At that point Bruce had fully stopped paying attention. Luckily the countdown had helped Bruce drown the man out.

"Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!"

The euphoria exploded in the room as everyone cheered. Even Lord stopped for a minute to cheer as well. Only Bruce remained silent and frowned slightly. He looked at the TV that showed Metropolis erupting into chaos as they all happily celebrated the dawn of a new year. He was about to turn around and try to think of an excuse to escape Lord when something on the TV caught his eye.

"…_and it looks like Erik Bronson's back on the stage!"_ one of the newscasters noted. _"And he's bringing his long-time partner Diana of Themyscira, better known as Wonder Woman, with him!"_

Bruce felt himself stiffened at that. But he wasn't the only one watching the TV carefully. A lot of the younger guests were buzzing with excitement as well. They were still into the gossip of celebrities and seeing one of the biggest celebrity power couples on TV was big news for them.

"_Thank you, thank you all! Hopefully 2018 will be a great year like the last one!" _Erik said on the stage. _"I just want to take the time to first, thank my fans as always for their support and for giving me a New Year's Eve I'll never forget."_

"If you look at the statistics, investors have been willing to give more money to projects like that…" Lord droned on, completely unaware Bruce wasn't listening.

"_So I think it's only fitting that you all will hear my New Year's resolution personally; I resolve to love this incredible woman right next to me. I'm pleased to announce that by next New Year's Eve, she and I will be happily married!"_

The crowd erupted as Erik led Diana forward who made sure her large engagement ring was visible. The people at the Wayne Enterprises party also gasped in excitement.

"Oh my God!" squealed a girl who looked to be barely eighteen at the party. "Their wedding is going to be so cool!"

"_And I guess the question we've been asking for a long time has been answered," the_ newscaster's voice continued. "_The famous power couple Erik Bronson and Princess Diana are finally tying the knot. It's also such a romantic way to announce their engagement-"_

Erik at this point had pulled Diana into a passionate kiss.

"_Oh it looks like they can't wait for the wedding,"_ the newscaster chuckled.

CRASH!

"Whoa!" Lord yelped in shock as the remains of Bruce's drink and glass spilled near his feet. Bruce looked at his clenched shaking fist to find he had squeezed too hard and destroyed his glass.

"Can we get a waiter or something over here?" Lord began to call out. Bruce however didn't waste any time.

"Thank you for your proposal Mr. Lord. I'll think about it over the next few days."

"But wait, I'm not done-"

"I'm sorry but I need to go!" Bruce snapped and aggressively stomped away before Lord could stop him. He limped his way out of the room and headed to the elevator. His leg burned and protested at moving such a fast pace but he did his best to ignore it.

"Batwoman," he croaked as he turned on the commlink in his ear. "Has anything happened since you last checked in?"

"_Well Donnie ordered two plates of cannoli,"_ she replied sarcastically. _"What's up with you?"_

"Nothing," Bruce denied even though a part of him felt like he wanted to break something. "I changed my mind. I'm joining you on the stakeout tonight."

* * *

><p><em>2009-Batcave<em>

_Bruce stared at the files before him. He had spent the last two weeks searching for what he could on Deathstroke. Other than records of a dozen assassinations over the previous year, nothing else seemed to come up besides a few references of possible involvement in a secret military experiment gone wrong and the name Slade Wilson. But as Deathstroke said in their last encounter, Bruce knew that name was likely just an alias. Unfortunately no references of Deathstroke could be found beyond 2008, making the man more of a ghost than an assassin for Bruce._

"_Hey don't you ignore me!" Dick angrily yelled, reminding Bruce he was still there. "I'm still talking!"_

"_Dick calm down," Barbara pleaded._

"_No!" Dick dismissed. "I'm done taking this crap from him! You can't do this without me Bruce!"_

"_I told you two to focus on Gotham while I focus on Ra's," Bruce muttered coldly. "Ra's and whatever he has planned is my fight alone."_

"_Bull! You need our help but you're just too stubborn to admit it!"_

_At that moment Alfred had approached the group. _

"_I take it you'll all have your dinner down here since no one seems to remember we have a dining room upstairs?"_

"_Yes Alfred, thank you," Barbara said quickly. Alfred turned around and slowly walked back up the Batcave stairs._

"_We've helped you fight Ra's in the past," Dick pointed out. "We can help again."_

"_This time it's different," Bruce explained. "Ra's has pulled out all the stops for this one."_

"_You mean Deathstroke? The one assassin who got the drop on you?"_

_Bruce didn't say anything and re-read some files he had looked over fifty times already._

"_That's the real reason why you want to do this alone isn't it?" Dick noted sharply. "You're sore over the fact Deathstroke actually managed to beat you. Babs told me you're obsessed with him because you want a rematch."_

"_Dick!" Barbara complained. "That's not what I said!"_

"_You don't understand," Bruce muttered. "You've never faced someone like him before."_

"_Well here's a news flash for you Bruce; you're not as young as you once were. You'll need all the help you can get to face him and Ra's. I know you got something to prove but this is ridiculous. You can't do this one solo."_

_Bruce looked Dick dead in the eyes with an icy stare._

"_You're wrong," Bruce said calmly._

"_Excuse me?" Dick asked._

"_He didn't beat me because he was younger, faster, or stronger. He beat me because he knew me."_

"_Come again?"_

"_He knew exactly what I was doing when we fought. He anticipated almost every move as if we had fought before."_

"_Well, he works for Ra's now, and Ra's knows you damn well. Ra's probably trained Deathstroke to fight you specifically."_

"_No," Bruce dismissed. "There's a difference. Deathstroke somehow knows me way more than he should. He's too dangerous and that's why I won't have you and Barbara going up against him. This is my fight."_

_Bruce went back to the screen to continue his futile search in locating Deathstroke. So far the algorithm he had created to help find the assassin had proved useless.  
><em>

"_Where are you?" Bruce whispered to himself._

"_I can't believe how selfish you are sometimes," Dick scoffed. "You'd put the whole world at risk because you have to control everything. You won't seek the aid of the Justice League because you don't like them, you won't tell the authorities because you don't trust them, and you won't even let us help because of your stubborn, wounded pride. It's irresponsible to leave the fate of the world hinging on the outcome of a personal fight-"_

_CRASH!_

_Everyone jumped to the sound of something falling down the stairs._

"_Alfred!" Barbara gasped. Dick and Bruce looked over to find collapsed at the foot of the stairs was Alfred who twitched like a wounded animal. Around him were the trays and plates that held their now ruined dinner._

"_Alfred!" Bruce yelled as he ran up to the old man._

"_He's having a stroke!" Dick noted. "I'll call 911!"_

"_Alfred!" Bruce screamed as he grabbed onto the old man. "Alfred!"_

* * *

><p><em>UN Headquarters-January 1, 2018<em>

Vox stared at the clock. It was just shy of three in the morning. That meant outside the streets of Metropolis were mostly empty by now. He would experience no traffic as he headed to his private plane to fly back to Kasnia. He quickly began to put his papers in his briefcase before pausing to think. Ever since the shouting match he had with Wonder Woman earlier that day, something had troubled his mind.

"_You made the deal at the right time to save your skin. And that's all you've ever cared about. Everything you've done has been for yourself!"_

Wonder Woman's accusation kept replaying in his head. She was ridiculous! What did she know about him? He spent a decade in captivity and lost his voice for supporting Kasnian autonomy during the Serbian hegemony. His ancestors were martyrs in the fight against the Turkish occupation! She had no right to accuse him of selfishness. Yet, what did he do in the last war? He jumped the ship and cut a deal to protect himself. No one would blame him though. He already did a lot for his country and the best way he could be of service was to pick the winning side. Sure Kasnia now had to conform to the delusional notions of interventionists like Wonder Woman, but the fact he still had a position of influence and power meant he could still help Kasnia not fully lose its true self to Western manipulation. That's what he told himself all those years. Instead of going down with the ship like the last two times, he realized he was more effective as part of the new government rather than serving time as a prisoner again. But then why did Wonder Woman's insult struck a chord with him?

BAM!

Vox jerked up from his reverie. He thought he heard a loud thud outside his office. As far as he was concerned, he was the only one other than the security guards and his own bodyguards still at the UN. He always liked to work late. Feeling nervous, Vox slowly got up and opened the door. All he saw was the darkness that became illuminated by the light pouring out of his office. It was then he realized something was odd. Shouldn't his bodyguard be outside the door?

"**Roland?"** Vox called out, hoping his bodyguard was just around the corner. No answer came from the ongoing darkness.

"**Roland!"** Vox ordered angrily. **"Get back to your post!"**

Still no answer from the darkness. Vox's heart began to pump faster. Something was wrong. Vox looked to the side. He thought he heard the faint sound of a water drop. Looking over he saw what looked like a puddle. Another drop had fallen on the puddle. It was at this time Vox realized the puddle and the drops were red. Slowly looking up, Vox saw a body hanging up above him.

"**Ahhh!"** Vox gasped in fear through his robotic voice. Strung above him was the carcass of Roland. His throat had been slit and was still spilling blood on the floor. Panicking, Vox sprinted back into his office. He knew this day would come! He had prepared himself for it! He had a gun secretly smuggled into his office and hidden in his desk years ago. Vox quickly stepped inside only to find someone else now sat in the chair.

"**Looking for this?"** the stranger asked as he twirled Vox's secret pistol in his hand. He wore orange and black armor with a strange mask. Only one eye slit was on the mask.

"**Who are you?"** Vox demanded as he began to think of an escape plan.

"**Normally I would say Deathstroke but I think I prefer the man-who's-going-to-kill-you-tonight**," the stranger said calmly. Vox for some reason found his boots stuck to the ground.

"**Now some people paid me a lot of money to take you out. However the contract stipulated I make you suffer a little first,"** Deathstroke explained as he casually got to his feet. **"So tell me; do you want me to cut off your fingers, or your tongue first? Better question, do even still have a tongue?"**

At this point Vox's adrenaline kicked in and he turned and ran, not daring to look back.

"**Why do they always run?"** Deathstroke moaned and exited out of the office after his target. Vox kept sprinting through the empty hallways of the UN; along the way he found the dead bodies of night watchmen and security guards all over the place.

"**Someone help!"** Vox yelled. But he deep down knew it was no use. This Deathstroke had made sure everyone else inside was dead. There would be no witnesses to his murder. But Vox kept running. If he could make it to the streets maybe he could escape.

"**ARRRRRGHHHHHH!"** Vox screamed in pain as something cut across the area where his right ankle met his leg. His weight gave way and he collapsed on the floor.

"**Yep that was the tendon,"** Deathstroke calmly noted as he stood behind Vox holding a large sword. Vox tried to get up but found he couldn't put any weight on his right leg. Nonetheless he managed to force himself back up and began limping along.

"**Oh I wonder what I'm going to do now,"** Deathstroke replied calmly and took another swipe.

"**ARRRRGHHH!"** Vox yelled and collapsed on the ground again.

"**There goes the other one,"** Deathstroke noted.

"**YEEEEEIIIHHH!"** Vox cried to himself. He was in tremendous pain. But his will to survive hadn't gone out yet. Using all his strength in his arms he tried to crawl forward.

"**Oh you're actually serious!"** Deathstroke noted with amusement. **"You think you can escape me by crawling?"**

Vox ignored the hopelessness of his situation and grunted as he tried to crawl towards the front doors. He was almost there but then stopped when he realized a pair of legs had blocked his way. Looking up he saw an angry, young woman wearing strange clothes with fierce eyes staring at him.

"Hello Colonel Vox," the woman greeted before kicking his face with a bare foot.

"**ARRGHH!"** Vox yelled and clutched his face in pain.

"Do you know who I am?" the woman asked.

At that moment despite the danger he was in, Vox found a second wind. His pride and smug defiance had taken over again.

"**Of course I do,"** Vox mocked as he lied on the ground. **"You're Sacrian scum."**

The woman twitched at the insult.

"I am Zara, leader of the Crimson Flame. I'm here to sentence you for your crimes on behalf of Ahriman."

"**Hahahahaha"** Vox laughed.

"Stop laughing!" Zara yelled. "You have been judged for your sins! You will now suffer greatly for them! Do you have anything to say before you face your punishment? You might not suffer as much if you express any regrets for your crimes."

**"My only regret is I failed to wipe all of you out in the last war!"** Vox yelled proudly. **"Yes I admit it! I tried to exterminate all your people from our rightful lands! You disgusting vermin had betrayed my people for centuries! You had to be removed from Kasnia! Kill me now, and you'll just confirm what I and my supporters have known all along! You're nothing more than our savage enemy with your witchcraft and fire worshiping!"**

Zara's posture stiffened so much it looked like she might snap in two. The burning rage was visible in her eyes.

"You do remember me!" Zara accused. "You know who I am! I demand you to remember!"

"**Vermin,"** Vox spat at her feet. **"I don't waste my time bothering to know the Sacrians I failed to kill. You're nothing but stray dogs that need to be put down!"**

A wicked smile formed on Zara's face but Vox stood his ground.

"**Go ahead and kill me. I'm ready to die. I'll die as a patriot for the country I loved like my forefathers."**

Zara got on a knee to look at Vox dead in the eyes.

"Oh but I know you do remember me, Colonel," Zara assured. "Don't you remember Ognjišće?"

Vox's eyes widened in surprise as his brain brought up an old memory.

_The screams of the remaining survivors could still be heard as the fires burned all around them. Vox let out a satisfied smile. It had worked. The experiment was a success._

"_Colonel!" a young soldier called out. "We have two escaping!"_

_Vox looked over and saw in the field outside the village were two people running towards the wood line, away from the fires. One was a young teenage boy who dragged along a little girl by the hand._

"_**So we failed to exterminate two rats,"**__ Vox noted with disappointment. __**"Shoot them! We can't have any witnesses left alive."**_

"_Yes sir!"_

_Vox smiled as his men got ready to open fire on their fleeing targets._

Vox blinked and looked at Zara again.

"You?" he asked in fear. The confidence he had earlier was gone.

"You do remember me," Zara gloated. "I know about your secret experimental weapon that you had kept hidden from everyone else. I witnessed it firsthand that day. Thank you for the inspiration by the way. The Crimson Flame has perfected your weapon however and we will use it on Kasnia for revenge. How does it feel to know the very weapon that you helped make will reduce your country to ashes?"

"**No!"** Vox protested.

Zara got back up and looked at Deathstroke.

"Make him suffer," she ordered.

"**ARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"** Vox screamed in pain as Deathstroke went to work.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Because people keep asking about it, Bruce's age in this story is early to mid fifties. <strong>


	5. The Impending Fall

**Yes I'm back. So many people have questioned my absence. Did I stop writing? Had I given up on the story? The answer is no I have not. For about nine months I was experiencing a very tiring and stressful experience in my life. Now that it is over, I've been trying to get back in the game and continue this story. I can't promise that I'll have an update every week, but I will say my projected goal is to try to finish this story within a year. I'm also pleased to announce that I've been outlining a planned sequel to Stains of Time (called Depths of Time) that will start being published in 2017. I came up with the sequel long before I finished Stains but I wanted to finish this story first because I pretty much have the entire plot completely outlined in great detail. It's just finding the time to write is the issue. Hope you enjoy and Happy New Year.**

**Thank you MTVCCV for being my consultant and beta.**

* * *

><p><em>Kasnia: Napredak-2006<em>

_The city of Napredak had stood for over a thousand years. Often considered the jewel of Kasnia, the city had survived two world wars, multiple civil conflicts, and even Turkish occupation. No one dared to level the city to the ground because of its beauty and historical importance. Even in the midst of another potential long drawn out conflict, Napredak remained as a symbol of potential unity. Today the city was crowded to the brim. Not only had the local residents taken a break from their lives to see the queen and the leaders of the multiple factions, but many media outlets across the world had shown up as well. Today was supposed to be a historical day for Kasnia. Inside her limo, the queen of Kasnia held her breath. Much to her relief, most of the crowds surrounding the building where the summit was to be held gave off positive vibes. There were some protesters of course, but most of the people in attendance near the limo cheered. It seemed the majority of the population inside the borders of Kasnia wanted peace as much as she did._

_"We are ready when you are, your Majesty," Igor, her head bodyguard, explained. Audrey felt her heart stop. There was no way she could do this. It was too much pressure! She felt her hands shake as she saw the faction and minority leaders through the window of her limo exiting out of their cars to approach the podium in front of the building. Audrey had scheduled time for herself to give a speech before the beginning of the summit with all the political and ethnic leaders behind her to symbolize their unity, after which they would all enter the building and start the long process of hopefully ending the internal strife in Kasnia for good. However, it would be all for nothing if her speech couldn't inspire at least hope for a resolution to the conflict.  
><em>

_"I can't do this," the queen moaned. She couldn't even remember what she had written in her speech._

_"Pardon?" Igor asked._

_"I can't do this," she repeated. "We're going to have to cancel!"_

_As if on cue, Audrey looked down and saw her private cell phone ringing. Only a few close friends of hers had this number and she had a feeling who was on the other end._

_"Hello?" Audrey asked._

_"Are you alright?" the calming voice of Diana spoke on the other end._

_"Hello Darling," Audrey said with relief. _

_"I'm sorry I couldn't be there. The founders in the League have a meeting in five minutes. Something about Lex Luthor and his presidential campaign."_

_"No I understand," Audrey assured. "We both have our own commitments."_

_"Listen, I know there's a lot of speculation and pressure on you but I want to let you know that I believe in you, Audrey. Kasnia needs you more than ever and I know that you will do great."_

_Audrey noticed a slight tear had fallen down the side of her cheek._

_"Thank you Darling," Audrey replied appreciatively._

_"I'm just helping a good friend out," Diana suggested humbly._

_"I have to go; like you said, my people need me. I'll talk to you later."_

_"Good luck," Diana encouraged before Audrey hung up. Audrey put her phone away and looked directly into Igor's curious eyes. _

_"Let's go," Audrey said confidently. Igor nodded and opened the door. The cheering became louder and more deafening as the queen stepped out with only two bodyguards, instead of the standard four. She didn't want a throng of bodyguards obscuring her from the crowd; she wanted everyone in the crowd to see her. Audrey smiled and waved at her subjects as they all cheered. The queen then looked over at the stage to see all the faction leaders waiting patiently for her. Ivan Dragovic, Nardoc's more mild-mannered successor, had a polite, but welcoming smile on his face. Like her, he wanted peace too. With a new sense of purpose, Audrey walked to the stage while beaming with the biggest smile she ever had. However, distracted in the euphoria of the moment, the queen didn't see the young man pushing his way to the front of the crowd. The security forming a line around the stage did notice eventually but it was a little too late. The young man kept pushing and shoving until he jumped over the perimeter, confusing the armed guards. Most of the crowd obliviously still cheered and watched the queen as the intruder quickly rushed towards her. Meanwhile, the queen and the faction leaders had their focus elsewhere, so they didn't notice the man either._

_Igor however, spotted the young man when he had turned around. He saw the young man heading towards him and the queen when his instincts kicked in._

_"Long live Nardoc!" the young man shouted as he tore off his coat and activated the incendiary bomb he had strapped on his chest._

_"Your Majesty!" Igor shouted as he dove for the queen. But he was a second too late._

_BBOOOOOOOMM!_

_RRRRRROOOOOOAAAARRRRRRRRSSSSHHHH!_

_A great ball of fire instantly followed the explosion and expanded quickly. The incendiary bomb was not a powerful one. It was designed to burn any targets within a short range. Unfortunately, Audrey and Igor were well within that short range._

_"AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!" Igor screamed in pain as he was caught on fire._

_"YYYAAAAIIIIIHHHHH!" _

_The queen's screech was horrifying. Her other bodyguard tackled her immediately and began doing his best to put the fire covering her body out. Wild gunfire started going off everywhere as trigger happy police and bodyguards panicked. Many faction leaders' own bodyguards tackled them or dragged them to safety. No one knew what exactly happened. Everyone's biggest concern was escaping out alive. The crowd went from a cheering throng to a mob of chaotic hell._

_"Your Majesty!" Wolfgang, the head of the queen's security detail, called as he rushed towards the center of the chaos. The smoke covered the stage which made Wolfgang's eyes water._

_"It was a suicide bombing Sir! He augmented it with some sort of fuel," a police officer with a nasty cut on his face explained as he pointed to what Wolfgang assumed were the remains of the attacker. "He somehow managed to breach pass the perimeter and-"_

_"Where's Queen Audrey?" Wolfgang demanded._

_"I don't know…"_

_"Sir!"_

_Wolfgang looked over and saw one of Audrey's two personal bodyguards waving him down. His face was covered in what looked like burn marks and soot. His jacket was off and on the ground covering something. Wolfgang hurried over and saw two bodies. One was still burning. Wolfgang recognized the large, still burning body as belonging to Igor. His burnt carcass gave off a foul stench._

_"Northern scum," Wolfgang coughed in disgust. "Should've done the speech inside."_

_He then reluctantly looked over at the body covered in what remained of the other bodyguard's jacket._

_"Is that-?"_

_"It's the queen!" the bodyguard assured. "I managed to put out the flames but…"_

_Holding his breath, the bodyguard lifted up the jacket to reveal the unconscious, half-burnt body._

_"My God!" Wolfgang gasped and covered his mouth. He felt nauseous and horrified at what he saw._

_"Sir she's still alive! She's just passed out!" the other bodyguard assured as he felt the queen's pulse. "She's got a pulse!"_

_"G-get her to the hospital now!" Wolfgang coughed the orders out as the sounds of mayhem surrounded him. "And tell them to be ready to treat a burn victim!"_

* * *

><p><em>Metropolis-2018<em>

"…_A little spoiled, but sweet."_

"_I'm sorry Darling, but I must do whatever is necessary to protect my kingdom."_

"_Diana, will you marry me?"_

"_Well since neither of us has any plans, how about dinner tonight for Valentine's Day? Just you and me?"_

"_Why so you can leave an hour into it to patrol Gotham?"_

"_Tim can cover me for the first few hours of the night…"_

"_Congratulations Diana. Lois and I know you worked hard for this…"_

"_I'm proud of you my daughter…"_

Diana's eyes fluttered awake. She could feel Erik's arm draped around her. She moaned and rolled over to look at her alarm clock only to find two small eyes staring back at her.

"Anya?" Diana asked curiously. She was still half-asleep. Anya continued to stare at Diana with cautious curiosity.

"Are you alright?" Diana whispered in a hushed voice. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"Nargh!"

Diana jumped at the sound of Erik letting out a loud snore before looking back at Anya. The little girl had a smile on her face now. Diana smiled back.

"Yes I know, he's a loud sleeper," Diana cooed and got out of the bed. The Amazon then grabbed Anya's tiny hand.

"Come on, I'll make us some breakfast."

Diana led the little girl to the kitchen of her apartment within the embassy. She looked at the clock to find it was only seven in the morning.

"Who sleeps anymore these days?" Diana muttered ruefully. She and Erik after the concert had spent a wonderful night together before returning to the embassy and going to bed at three in the morning. Maybe she would get a chance to take a long nap during the day. Today was a day off for her and Erik so she had the whole world in front of her. Diana fried some eggs in a pan while she absentmindedly turned on the TV.

"_Role models? I don't know about you but I find neither member of this so-called power couple as a good role model!"_

Diana closed her eyes. She forgot Godfrey's talk show finally started getting popular again and now aired early in the morning instead of his graveyard shift.

"_First we got a socialist rock star who claims he cares about the poor and unfortunate and demands that we all chip in. Yet I don't see him giving up the money it costs him to own and operate his own private airplanes! And also so much for helping the environment! I'd like to see his carbon footprint from all that jet fuel he burns!"_

The Amazon stopped frying the eggs and reached for the remote. This was her day and she wouldn't let Godfrey ruin it for her.

"_And of course there's always the angry Amazon, Wonder Wo-"_

Diana switched the channel to the next one. She made eye contact with Anya who had a small smile on her face as if amused by Diana's reaction to Godfrey's slander.

"_Already millions of women are upset at the news that Erik Bronson, Human Magazine's Sexiest Man of 2017, will be getting hitched soon to his longtime lover, the gorgeous Wonder Woman!"_

Diana sighed with relief. She had managed to find a local celebrity gossip channel. While they were just as far from the truth as Godfrey was, at least they usually had positive things to say about her.

"_Already fashion icons across the world have called the Amazon princess to offer their services in crafting her wedding dress."_

That wasn't true. Only two designers had tried to reach out to her so far. According to Etta, within two minutes of the announcement on live TV, two famous designers who had worked with Diana in the past had already called the office with intentions to make her wedding gown. More would call though eventually and it would be a circus for poor Etta.

"_But the real question is, where will the wedding be? Paris? Rome? Maybe a private island somewhere?"_

She grimaced uncomfortably at that last suggestion. Hopefully Themyscira would remain unaware of her engagement for the time being.

"Here you go Anya," Diana offered as she handed the plate to the little girl who watched the TV with interest. She looked back at Diana and pointed a tiny hand at the screen. It was a close up of Erik and Diana embracing happily with the sunset in the background.

"Yeah that's us," Diana explained with a nostalgic grin. "He took me to Hawaii for my birthday last year."

A ringing sound came from the counter. Diana looked and saw it was her private phone going off. Knowing it most likely wasn't work related, she went over and grabbed it.

"Hello?"

"_You didn't give me a heads up!"_

"Sorry Lois," Diana apologized. "We had agreed to not announce it to the media until we went public."

"_But you couldn't tell me as a friend?" _

"And give you too much of a head start? I thought you liked a challenge Lois."

Lois chuckled on the other end.

"_You're right I do. But I hope you understand that I get the first interview over those low brow gossip channels? You owe me a favor."_

"You're cashing that in already? Fine. I'll have Etta set up something for you. How's the adoption coming?"

Lois didn't respond right away, giving Diana the answer she needed.

"Lois…"

"_It's fine,"_ Lois assured. _"I know a good lawyer from high school. We'll try to appeal our application. You'd think with all these problems in the foster care system they would make adopting a lot easier."_

"Well Lois if there's anything I can-"

"_Don't worry about it,"_ Lois dismissed. _"This is supposed to be a happy time for you. Don't let me ruin it."_

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"_I'm always alright. But if you want to make me feel better, maybe you can convince Erik to serenade Clark and me at our anniversary dinner next month?"_

"You already cashed in one favor," Diana teased.

"_But you'll owe me for all the positive things I'll write about you after the interview,"_ Lois countered.

"I just can't win with you, can I?"

"_Honey, I'm married to the Man of Steel. And he still can't beat me."_

Diana smirked at that last remark.

"I'll have Etta set up the details with you," Diana assured as she served Anya some eggs and potatoes on her plate.

"_It's a date. Send that gorgeous hunk my love."_

"Bye Lois," Diana hummed and hung up. Quickly she served herself a helping and took a seat next to Anya. She noticed the little girl had trouble holding the silverware.

"Here," Diana offered and gently grabbed Anya's fork. "You hold it like this."

"Well something smells good," droned a tired voice. Diana looked up to see a shirtless Erik walking in and yawning. She always admired that despite his busy schedule, Erik always found time to keep himself in shape and his body well-toned.

"Figures you'd wake up to the smell of food," Diana mocked.

"What can I say?" Erik shrugged. "I picked a woman who knows how to cook."

Erik walked over to the stove to examine the frying pan.

"Only made enough for Anya and myself," Diana retorted. "If you want some you can make it yourself."

"You are such a cruel goddess," Erik bemoaned.

"I only help those who help themselves," Diana shot back. Erik chuckled at that and proceeded to open the fridge.

"Lois called," Diana explained. "She wants to do an interview."

"As she always does," Erik pointed out.

"She also asked if I could convince you to serenade her and Clark during their anniversary this month."

Erik laughed.

"I guess I do owe her in that we met because of her. So in a way, she's responsible for us getting together."

Diana smiled sweetly as Erik made his own breakfast.

"Since it's our day off today," Erik pointed out. "Maybe we should take the time to discuss plans for the wedding. Do you think your mother would like to come?"

Diana's smile quickly vanished at that comment. Luckily Erik didn't see her new facial expression. Anya however, did notice and looked up at Diana questioningly. The Amazon felt as if she had drifted out of reality briefly. She had been putting this off for a week but now she realized she couldn't push it off any further. Already she had committed to Erik's proposal but she hadn't had the chance to really think over her mother's offer. Would her mother understand if she rejected it? Furthermore, becoming the Amazon Queen was a high honor. Ever since she was a little girl she expected to one day follow her mother's legacy and take her place. But with honor came responsibility and that meant she would probably have to give up Erik. And how could she? He had remained faithful and loyal to her since they first met. Plus she had accepted his marriage proposal. How could she claim herself as the patron of truth if she backed out of a commitment she had already made?

"Di?" Erik asked.

"Hmmm?" Diana reacted, realizing Erik probably noticed her lack of response.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine," Diana said quickly. "Just got distracted. What did you ask?"

"Do you think your mother will come to the wedding?"

Diana took a deep breath. She couldn't avoid this conversation forever. Maybe she could tell him about her mother's offer but avoid admitting she hadn't made up her mind on her mother's decision yet.

"Erik..." Diana said nervously. She never felt this nervous when talking to other people. Erik eyed her with concern.

"My mother-"

RING!

Diana, secretly thankful for the interruption, looked and found her cell phone ringing for the second time today.

"It's Etta," Diana noted.

"She knows it's supposed to be our day off right?" Erik asked with noticeable annoyance in his voice. Diana looked back at the phone. She had personally instructed Etta to not call her at all today. The UN could wait for one day without her.

"Let it ring," Erik suggested. "She's probably calling about a missing stapler."

"Erik!"

"What?"

Diana, deciding whatever trivial delay Etta had called for would give her time to recollect herself and talk to Erik about her mother, answered the phone.

"Etta, I told you I didn't want any calls today."

"_I'm sorry but-"_

"If it's the ambassador of China bugging you, tell him we already have a meeting next week."

"_But-"_

"Etta, stick up for yourself," Diana ordered. "I'm sure he'll stop bothering you. Besides we need to focus on salvaging the treaty."

"_But it's not the ambassador of China!"_ Etta shouted quickly.

"Then what?"

"_You need to come to the UN. It's-"_

"I gave specific instructions I wouldn't be coming in today," Diana reminded Etta. Erik shook his head in frustration.

"_But Ma'am, you need to come! It's urgent."_

"I know the treaty is in danger, but it wouldn't make a difference if I came in tomorrow instead of today."

"_Ma'am the Secretary General has specifically requested you report to the UN immediately!"_ Etta snapped. _"He says there's an Agent Faraday who wants you there right now!"_

Diana paused at that. Every time she crossed paths with Special Agent King Faraday, it wasn't a pleasant interaction. She and the government agent never got on the right foot together. What did he want to see her for this time? Her latest issues were related to the UN, not the American government.

"Are you sure?" Diana asked.

"_Yes Ma'am. Apparently he won't take no for an answer and wants you there right now. He's threatened to call the JL or the president if you don't appear."_

Diana felt her heart rate pick up slightly. Something didn't feel right. But nonetheless, she knew she couldn't ignore Faraday forever.

"Alright Etta, I'll meet you over there in fifteen minutes," she said before hanging up.

"I thought we both agreed to take the day off together?" Erik asked angrily.

"I'm sorry," Diana apologized guiltily. "I know I promised. Something is going on at the UN though."

"You told me the treaty can wait."

"It's not the treaty," Diana explained as she stood up. "It's something else."

"What then?"

"I don't know. But whatever it is, they seem to need me there right away."

Diana then walked up to Erik and placed a gentle hand on his face.

"I'm so sorry," Diana assured. "I really just wanted this day to be about us."

Erik looked like he wanted to protest but closed his eyes and sighed.

"You know I can't stay mad at you. Go do your thing. I'll be here when you get back. And then you and I can continue talking about the wedding."

* * *

><p>Diana strutted up the sidewalk in her heels as an exasperated Etta followed her. She had on a professional skirt and a nice jacket over a blouse to keep her warm. She had her hair tied up in a bun and wore a pair of glasses that she didn't need but simply wore to look more professional and serious. Plus it helped her sneak by onlookers unless they did a double take. After receiving a brief from Etta, she realized the police had already formed a barricade for the entire block around the UN building.<p>

"Did they elaborate what happened?" Diana asked as she hurried along.

"No," Etta squeaked as she tried to keep up with the tall Amazon's stride. "They just said it was important but it couldn't be discussed over the phone."

Diana's curiosity grew even more. This wasn't a typical meeting over some diplomatic crisis. Something must've happened here. Together the two women approached the barricade. They met a suspicious looking man in a suit and sunglasses guarding the way. The Amazon made to pull out her ID but the man waved a dismissive hand.

"Head on in Madame Ambassador. Agent Faraday is waiting for you," he explained. Diana quickly stepped through the barricade as a clumsy Etta followed. She quickly looked around and realized most of the cars forming the barricade weren't Metropolis PD cars. They were black SUVs with no license plates; the cars belonged to a federal agency.

"Madame Ambassador," a voice called out. Diana turned around to find the Secretary General approaching her. She always found him to be a genial if not slightly timid man.

"I apologize for disturbing you-"

"It's alright," Diana assured, cutting him off. "Where's Agent Faraday?"

"Right here," a cool voice called out. Diana saw Agent Faraday walking towards her. He had managed to age well in the last decade although Diana suspected he may have had some plastic surgery done. Faraday had his usual dark sunglasses on and a radio in one hand. Strutting up like he owned the place, he calmly approached both Diana and the Secretary General.

"You can go now," Faraday told the Secretary General. It wasn't a suggestion. The Secretary General meekly and awkwardly walked away as Diana's eyes narrowed slightly at Faraday. Typical of him and the American government to think they could boss others around. Well she wouldn't be intimidated by him.

"You wanted to see me?" she asked.

"I wanted to ask you some questions," Faraday explained. Diana could tell beneath those shades his icy blue eyes had glared at her with distrust.

"This could've been done over the phone," Diana argued.

"I like to interview a person of interest when conducting an investigation face to face. It allows me to read their reactions."

Faraday then turned around and walked away. Diana, giving an angry sigh, reluctantly followed him inside the building as Etta tried to keep up.

"Madame Ambassador," Faraday asked through clenched teeth as if addressing her by her title hurt him to say it. "How well did you know Ambassador Vox?"

"Did?" Diana asked. She noticed Faraday's men had transformed the entire lobby into a crime scene.

"I'm well aware that you two encountered each other during the Kasnian Space Crisis," Faraday continued without missing a beat. "From my understanding, you destroyed his voice box."

"You mean his weapon that he used to help Vandal Savage start a coup?" Diana shot back. "Sorry I wasn't going nice on violent agitators."

"But what about after the Fourth Kasnian Civil War? Weren't you the one that pushed for his pardon in exchange for his help in ending it and supporting the new coalition government?"

"You and your government shouldn't be so quick to judge," Diana pointed out. Faraday had stopped and finally turned around to face her again.

"And after he became an ambassador, my sources reported you had to work with him multiple times. According to accounts from other people, you two didn't exactly patch things up."

"That's none of your business," Diana shot back. "Vox is the ambassador of Kasnia and I am the ambassador of Themyscira. Neither of us represents America and thus our exchanges are not your concern."

"Oh they are my concern," Faraday warned. "Especially when one of the ambassadors turns up dead in the UN lobby along with the butchered bodies of the entire security personnel team."

Faraday then stepped to the side and Diana realized behind him were two forensic investigators standing over a body.

"Eek!" Etta gasped.

Diana's eyes widened at the sight. On the floor lied the now dead ambassador Vox. His eyes were still open in horror although blank now. There were bloody slashes all over his body. His fingers were gone and it looked like other things had been cut. Diana noticed that the back of his ankles had gashes on them indicating someone had slashed his tendons. She noticed the trail of blood behind him. He must've tried to escape from whoever attacked him by crawling or limping. Curiosity getting the better of her, Diana wanted to take a step forward but found Faraday's arm blocking her.

"Stay back."

Diana glared at him but still heeded his order.

"Even though the other bodies got mangled up a bit too, evidence so far indicates Vox was the target. The others were just in the way," Faraday muttered. Looking further into the lobby, Diana could see agents carrying a couple body bags away.

"Also I hope you understand both the UN and U.S. government want to keep this _incident_ quiet. I know you love the media spotlight but we need you to keep information related to this buried from the public, especially with an investigation ongoing," Faraday ordered patronizingly. Diana refused to respond to that and focused all her attention on the mystery around Vox's death.

"What exactly happened?" Diana asked.

"As you can see, Ambassador Vox had plans to fly back to Kasnia earlier this morning. Register indicates he had every intention of still making his flight despite working late here over night. Someone though apparently had other plans."

"Any suspects?" she inquired.

"We're still in the early stages of the investigation. As far as I'm concerned, everyone is a suspect."

"Including me?" Diana noted sharply.

"I didn't say that," Faraday reminded although Diana could tell he remained suspicious with her. "However I do find it interesting that there are reports that state you and Vox had a little spat yesterday."

"It was just a heated argument," Diana refuted.

"According to some eye witnesses though it looked like you were about to punch him. It wouldn't be the first time you exchanged blows with Vox."

"This is ridiculous," Diana complained. Already Vox ruined her day yesterday and now even in death he had come back to ruin her day off.

"You're wasting time," Diana continued. "Instead of trying to find some outrageous connection between Vox and me you should actually investigate those terrorist threats that Kasnia received the other day."

"What terrorist threats?" Faraday demanded, his tone shifting greatly.

"Some people calling themselves the Crimson Flame threatened Kasnia the other day. You should be focusing on them instead of me."

"Don't tell me how to do my job," Faraday warned while pointing a finger at her. "We haven't heard anything about these 'terrorist threats' you speak of. As far as we know one of the last people Vox talked to outside his security staff was you and the conversation was heated. Also most of the victims were killed by a sword and records have shown you have used a sword from time to time."

"And that's not proof. You have no ground to stand on for the moment."

"Where were you last night?" Faraday asked, still not deterred by Diana's protest.

"Are you serious?" Diana complained. "I was at the New Year's Parade with Erik Bronson! Thousands of cameras can document that!"

"Vox was killed a few hours after midnight based on our preliminary reports," Faraday countered.

"And my fiancée can vouch for my whereabouts," Diana responded quickly. "Now Agent Faraday, unless you have something to charge me with I will be heading out now. Have a Happy New Year."

Before Faraday could protest further, Diana had turned on her heels and triumphantly walked off with Etta in tow.

"Ma'am that was awesome!" Etta chirped happily. "Although do you think it was wise to argue with him?"

"He deserved it," Diana justified. "Wasting my time and his government's money by chasing stupid theories out of personal bias. Instead of trying to pin something on me, he should try looking up other leads. It's not like Vox had no enemies who wanted him dead."

* * *

><p>Deathstroke leaned against the wall as he, Zara, and her bodyguard watched the TV monitor. Per the suggestion of Deathstroke, they had left a hidden camera near the spot where they killed Vox so they could watch what would happen afterwards. They had watched the agents investigate the scene, unaware of the hidden camera for a few hours before Wonder Woman had finally shown up. After witnessing the agents interrogate the Themysciran ambassador, Zara quietly turned the monitor off.<p>

**"Told you leaving those cameras behind was a good idea,"** Deathstroke said smugly. Zara continued to frown at him.

**"Don't look so glum,"** Deathstroke offered. **"So what if you couldn't ruin Wonder Woman's parade? You saw what happened. Authorities think she was somehow behind Vox's death."**

"Vox's death was supposed to happen simultaneously with our attack on Metropolis last night," Zara reminded. "Years of planning for the Crimson Flame's grand return from the ashes and now we only were able to do an assassination that the U.S. government will keep secret. How do we show the world we have returned for our vengeance and strike fear in Kasnia?"

**"You'll still have your revenge with your next planned attack,"** Deathstroke countered. **"Hell cancelling last night's attack probably worked out in your favor and gave you more of an element of surprise. I thought the next attack was the primary objective anyways."**

"Enough," Zara stated with finality. "We're done here."

**"Are you shutting me out?"** Deathstroke replied, sounding insulted. **"We had a deal."**

"Things have changed. We will still pay you for the assassination but that concludes our business. The Flame has to alter our plans."

**"Is this about the missing girl? I told you I'd find her."**

"And you failed to find her in time," Zara emphasized. "Be glad I'm still paying you for the assassination."

Deathstroke responded by throwing a knife at the wall. Zara's bodyguard immediately went to grab his gun but Deathstroke had already drawn his pistol.

**"Please let's not go down this road again. I'll probably just go for the kill this time,"** Deathstroke said calmly.

"You think you can threaten me again?" Zara whispered back dangerously. "If you harm me you will not make it out of this building alive."

**"Normally I'd accept your challenge,"** Deathstroke retorted arrogantly. **"However, like I said in our first meeting, our goals are aligned. I have a vested interest to ensure your next attack happens. No one wants to see you succeed any more than my employer and me."**

"I don't care about how much you want to help us. I care about results."

**"Well how about this for results?"** Deathstroke asked. **"I can guarantee your next attack will happen right on schedule because I will have found your brat by then. Furthermore, to sweeten the deal I'll waive the assassination of Vox last night for free."**

"If you think this is about money-"

**"And I'll still help you get payback on that bitch Wonder Woman as the cherry on the top."**

Zara paused and tilted her head slightly to the side to indicate her renewed interest.

**"That got your attention,"** Deathstroke noted smugly.

"How do you plan to kill Wonder Woman?" Zara demanded.

**"That's the problem right there,"** the masked man explained.** "You people with your revenge think killing a person is the best form of payback. Ever heard the expression revenge is a dish best served cold?"**

"What do you propose then?"

**"If you truly want to get Wonder Woman, instead of focusing on killing her you should try focus on destroying her. People like her have so much more to lose than their hypocritical, decadent lives. Besides the difficulty of killing someone with her powers, killing Wonder Woman would just make her a martyr like JFK."**

Deathstroke walked up to Zara as her bodyguard twitched slightly to indicate his indecisiveness. The assassin ignored him and pulled out the knife in the wall quickly.

**"To really bring people like her down,"** Deathstroke explained. **"You need to knock her off the pedestal. Expose to the rest of the world what a fraud she really is. Make her go from the most admired woman in the world to the most hated one. That would be a much more satisfying way of justice than simply trying to blow her up in a bombing."**

"But how do we do that?" Zara growled, losing her patience again. Smirking underneath his mask, Deathstroke pointed a finger to the TV monitor.

**"You saw what I saw on there. Even some government officials think she is somehow connected to the assassination of Vox. All it takes is a few calls to the right people to turn mere speculations into a witch hunt."**

"Do you expect us to go to the authorities with fake evidence? You think we'd just expose ourselves in the open like that?"

**"Who said anything about going to the authorities?"** Deathstroke replied. **"The people I'm talking about reaching out to really never cared for proof or evidence as long as the information they are given fits their narrative."**

* * *

><p>"For the last time this is the Themysciran Ambassador," Diana replied tersely on the phone, trying to not lose her temper. The rest of the morning she had tried to reach the office of President Dragovic. However she found herself on a wild goose chase, often being put on hold or redirected to a dead end.<p>

"Tell him I need to speak with him urgently. It's about the environmental treaty."

"Babe," Erik called while standing in the doorway. "I thought the point of a day off was so we could actually enjoy our time together."

"_I'm sorry Madame Ambassador, the president is not answering any calls today. I suggest you try calling Kasnia's Department of State."_

"Tell the president I need to speak to him right now," Diana pressed further. "It will only be a moment of his time."

"_And I promise you Madame, the president will get back to you when he is ready. Goodbye."_

The phone clicked before Diana could get another word in. Frustrated, she slammed her phone back in its place.

"Well that was a waste of time," Diana fumed.

"All the more reason why we should put the phones away and spend the rest of the day having fun," Erik offered and reached behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and began to kiss her on the neck.

"You're too tense right now. You deserve a break," he noted. Diana moaned a little as she felt the warmth of his lips creeping up her neck but then her focus reverted back to what she had attempted to do all morning.

"I'm sorry Erik," Diana replied reluctantly as she gently broke through his embrace and took a step away from him. "But things have changed. With Vox dead, there may be a way to salvage the treaty now. If I can reach Dragovic for just a few minutes perhaps I can convince him to keep Kasnia committed to the treaty."

Diana then walked outside her office to look at Etta who held onto two different phones at the same time.

"Any luck on your end?" Diana asked hopefully. Etta shook her head.

"No Ma'am. They keep putting me on hold or don't pick up at all."

"Well keep trying," Diana ordered. "Don't take no for an answer. If they won't let you talk to Dragovic, see if you can schedule a teleconference between him and me ASAP!"

Diana then rushed back into the office as she thought of other ways she could contact the Kasnian president.

"Di," Erik spoke cautiously. "Don't you think you might be politicizing Vox's death a little?"

"I'm not politicizing," Diana denied. "I'm just taking advantage of an opportunity before the window closes. Politics never sleeps and I have to get on this immediately if I want any hope of convincing Dragovic to get back in the loop."

"Yeah but still, his body's not even laid to rest yet. Don't you think it might not be seen as appropriate by others?"

"Don't tell me you want Vox to be given a hero's funeral," Diana replied. "You called that man a war criminal yourself."

"I know, I'm just worried about the perception you might unintentionally create," Erik cautioned. "Don't forget that other people got killed along with Vox last night too."

"What happened to them is tragic as well," the Amazon admitted. "But the world doesn't stop turning for every murder and unfortunately, I can't at the moment either."

"Well I hope the Kasnian president shares your sentiment," Erik warned.

"Dragovic knows how the game works," Diana rebutted. "The question is, why does he seem so determined to avoid me?"

"Maybe he's focused on other things. I mean his country did receive terrorist threats the other day and then his ambassador was found brutally murdered. Maybe he's more focused on that at the moment."

Diana mulled over Erik's theory. While most people would think Erik as just a typical celebrity who didn't know the realities or nuances of diplomatic politics, Diana always found him to be a lot sharper than people would realize.

"You're right," Diana agreed. "Dragovic pretty much is paranoid that any threat of terrorist attacks would sink the centennial celebration. Perhaps he still thinks the environmental treaty is somehow influencing these threats."

"Hence why we should just call it a day," Erik hinted as he got ready to lead Diana out of the room.

"So if I can help prove Vox's death is not connected to the environmental treaty and this Crimson Flame threat is not inspired by it, I can probably get Dragovic to recommit!" Diana concluded to herself.

"What? No!" Erik protested. "That's not what I meant!"

"Etta!" Diana called back. "Stop the calls, we're going to make a stop downtown!"

Diana then looked for her coat and grabbed her purse while Etta tripped over herself in the other room to try to get ready.

"If we hurry, we can check out Vox's hotel room for clues!" Diana said excitedly. She quickly made her way out of her office only to find it blocked by Erik, who glared at her with crossed arms. Rarely did Diana see him have a look of frustrated anger on his face. Immediately, reality had come back to Diana and she felt guilty. Erik had every right to not be happy with her right now.

"I'm sorry," Diana apologized. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm not upset, just disappointed," Erik replied calmly. "Why can't you for once just let someone else handle it? Why not just let the authorities search Vox's hotel room?"

"It'll take Faraday and his men forever to get the clearance to search it. Besides they'd probably overlook any vital evidence. Knowing Faraday, he's probably still at the UN treating everyone not an American citizen as a suspect."

When Erik did not look convinced, Diana leaned up to him and stroke the back of his neck.

"You and I both care about the environment and this treaty could be historical," Diana pleaded. "I need to do everything I can to see it ratified, even if it means I might have to work on my day off."

For a second she worried Erik would protest further, but he seemed to have given up on that and let out a half smile.

"Alright. Do what you got to do. But understand this; tonight it will just be you and me, even if I have to throw your phone in the trash can."

"Deal," Diana agreed, relieved at how tolerant Erik was despite his clear frustrations.

"Just be careful," Erik warned.

"We will. Watch Anya for me. Come on Etta!" Diana called as she hurried out of the office.

* * *

><p>The Pearl Hotel of Metropolis had over the last decade become the unofficial hotel room for all the diplomats of the UN. Since not every country had an embassy in Metropolis, visiting diplomats to the UN headquarters often would book rooms at the Pearl. Eventually the Pearl Hotel had half of its rooms booked indefinitely for diplomats and ambassadors, with the costs subsidized by the UN. Diana often found herself going to the hotel many times to visit the rooms of different diplomats and ambassadors of countries, including Vox. While the hotel wasn't an embassy, it was renowned for its luxury rooms and state of the art security. Due to it also being the residence for visiting foreign dignitaries in Metropolis, getting permission to search the place required so many extra hoops to jump through. Thus Diana had hoped to take advantage of the extra bureaucracy needed to obtain a warrant. Even if Faraday decided to search the hotel, it'd probably take him awhile to get approval to search Vox's room. As long as she and Etta hurried, they could visit the room and see if they could find any evidence to bring to Dragovic.<p>

Diana and Etta quietly sat in the town car as the driver got ready to pull up to the hotel. A part of her felt trepidation at her planned actions. This was very impulsive of her. Rarely had she taken a risky action like this in the last ten years. Being a diplomat had taught her over the years to be patient and tread lightly. But, like she told Erik, her treaty was at stake and sometimes she needed to go the extra mile to ensure things got done. Due to spending most of her time with the UN over the Justice League, she yearned for the good old days of just fighting the next alien invasion or supervillain. Things were a lot simpler back then and less complicated. Politics and diplomacy were things she found more stressful and challenging than fighting Brainiac or Darkseid.

"Have you ever been to the Pearl?" Diana asked Etta.

"Once, long time ago," Etta explained. "My father took me."

Before Diana could ask how someone like Etta's father ended up at the Pearl, the driver had stopped. Wasting no time, Diana and Etta got out and entered inside. Quickly they passed by a snobbish concierge with a thick moustache who cleared his throat.

"Ah, Madame Ambassador," he greeted in a fake accent. "So good to see you."

"I'm visiting the French foreign minister," Diana explained as she and Etta briskly walked towards the elevators.

"Ah yes of course," he said. "Should I ring him up?"

"No need, he knows we're on our way."

Diana then entered the elevator, followed by Etta. The elevator operator gave a nod to Diana to indicate he recognized her.

"Penthouse floor, please," Diana ordered. The operator complied and pushed the button, sending the elevator up.

"The French foreign minister's room happens to be on the same floor Vox is on," Diana whispered to Etta. There were perks being an ambassador when visiting the Pearl. Due to Diana visiting so many different dignitaries and representatives of foreign governments, no one ever really paid attention to her when she was at the hotel.

"Are you ready?" Diana whispered to a nervous Etta. The secretary choked a little.

"I think so."

The elevator doors opened and the two women stepped out. Looking around the hallway, Diana spotted two bored guards on the other end, sitting on a bench. They were from a private security firm outsourced by the hotel to ensure all the VIPs that no one would break into their rooms. Diana recognized both guards as she had seen them on shifts guarding the penthouse floor before. They wouldn't think it to be unusual to see her today.

"I'm going to visit the French minister, I'll only be a minute," Diana said a little too loudly, hoping both guards could hear her. "Wait here."

As Diana slowly made her way to the room the French foreign minister resided in, Etta made a beeline to the two bodyguards.

"Howdy!" Etta greeted flirtatiously while opening a water bottle. "What are you two cuties doing here?"

Etta then made an exaggerated trip and spilled the water all over one guard's lap.

"Shit!" the guard cried in surprise.

"Oh my God!" Etta gasped. "I'm so sorry!"

Distracted by Etta, the guards didn't notice Diana had changed directions and now headed towards the other end of the hallway. Quickly she turned at the corner. She walked down to the executive suite that was on the other side of the floor, away from the prying eyes of the bodyguards monitoring the elevator. While Vox primarily used the suite, it also housed previous Kasnian dignitaries in the past. However, due to Vox's frequent stays at the hotel, the suite had pretty much become his much to Diana's displeasure. It was the nicest room in the entire hotel. Diana approached the suite door and looked at it. Unlike most residents in the hotel, Vox refused to have a key for his suite out of paranoia that someone could duplicate the key and break in. Due to what happened last night, that paranoia seemed to not be completely unfounded now. Yet, in order to unlock the door, Vox installed a voice recognition lock that only his own signature voice box could open. It was a brilliant idea because the voice box Vox used had operated at a specific frequency, allowing only himself access to his room. But that wouldn't have been a problem for Diana if she wanted to enter his room without forced entry.

Due to being an Amazon, Diana had full muscle control of every part of her body, including her vocal cords. With enough concentration and focus, Diana could control them and perfectly imitate any voice she wanted to. Rarely did she ever find a suitable use for this ability and when she did use it, she kept it quiet. It was more advantageous of her to have a special talent others didn't know about. Clearing her throat, Diana closed her eyes and thought of Vox's robotic, raspy voice. She heard it enough that she probably could've learned to imitate it on her own without her abilities with enough time and practice. Feeling her throat tighten slightly, she whispered into the speakers on the door.

"**Unlock,"** she commanded in Vox's voice. The doors clicked open. Diana grabbed the door and quickly entered the suite. Immediately she looked around. Nothing had changed much since she had last visited Vox. Probably due to his military background, Vox had kept the suite neat and tidy. She didn't see many other indicators that he did anything to indulge himself other than a large TV and a wine refrigerator that was fully stocked. For the most part, Vox seemed to live a relatively Spartan lifestyle compared to other diplomats. Diana passed by the bedroom and noticed the bed appeared to not have been slept in for a long time. The Amazon figured only Vox's office would have any potential clues. As she slowly crept into his office, she found herself staring at a photograph on a desk. Diana looked at it and saw that it was the photograph of a much younger Vox, shaking hands with the former Kasnian monarch, King Gustav.

In the past, Vox had been imprisoned by the Serbs for speaking out for Kasnian solidarity when the country was forcibly part of Yugoslavia. During the Second Kasnian Civil War, Vox remained a hero to the nationalist Kasnian populace due to his fiery radio speeches. The Serbian communists had arrested him and as punishment, ripped out his vocal cords. Vox was released after the conflict had finally ended and Kasnia regained its independence with Gustav restored as king. The photograph depicted Vox receiving Kasnia's highest war medal from Gustav, not long after his release. A part of Diana never really understood Vox's behavior. He started off as a hero to his country and was even rewarded for it by his king. Then a decade later he teamed up with Savage and ended up crippling his own sovereign. Male lust for power always baffled her. Vox may have started as a hero, but she knew he really was a monster. He only avoided justice for his involvement in the Fourth Kasnian Civil War because the UN needed his help. The world was better off without him.

However, Diana remembered she came to the hotel to not reflect on Vox, but to look for clues to see if she could determine the motivations behind Vox's death. If she could somehow connect the death of Vox to the Flame or some other party, not only could she prove to Dragovic that the environmental treaty was not the cause, she hopefully could impress Dragovic and make him grateful enough to put Kasnia back in the fold. Stealthily, Diana searched around the office and checked the desks and drawers. Unfortunately, most of the drawers seemed to only house blank pieces of paper and an inordinate amount of writing utensils. Either out of paranoia or foresight, Vox had made sure he didn't leave any papers with writing on them in his own desk. He must have kept them all in the briefcase he always carried around. Faraday and his men probably had it at the moment. Feeling disappointed, Diana looked at the computer and shifted the mouse. Not to her surprise, the monitor of the computer lit up and asked for a password. Deciding it was not worth trying to guess the code, Diana gave up on the computer. She was about to conclude her efforts were a waste of time, but then she saw something on a shelf in his office. Curiously, Diana walked up to the object and realized it was a rolodex of contact information.

Deciding this could probably be the only thing worthwhile that she could get from her search of the suite, Diana opened up the rolodex and quickly skimmed through it. At first she didn't find anything that stood out. Most of the contact information contained the names and phone numbers of Kasnian government officials and other ambassadors at the UN. It wasn't lost on Diana that he didn't have her name in the rolodex. He called her office so many times just to bother her she wasn't surprised that the man had already memorized her embassy's phone number. However, when she got to the end of the rolodex, she found something interesting. The last few lists contained names that weren't any government or diplomatic officials she had heard of, but at the same time they seemed very familiar to her. Quickly grabbing a pen and paper, Diana began to write everything down.

"Paula Gunther…Cylvia Anita…E. Cizko…Thomas Asquith…" she began to read out loud. A lot of these names seemed familiar to her, byet she couldn't place her finger on it. But when she got to the last name, she suddenly realized who these people were. They were the elites of Kasnia; the richest people who always somehow maintained their wealth despite Kasnia's bloody history. A lot of these individuals were either related or had ties to the now extinct Kasnian royal family. In the last decade, a lot of these individuals and their companies skyrocketed in terms of wealth and stock. It seemed fitting that Vox had the contact information of not only the richest people of Kasnia, but some of the richest individuals in the world. It would explain why he managed to survive politically after all these years. Deciding that the investigation, except for the handful of names she obtained, was a dead end, Diana made to leave the room. She pulled out her phone to text Etta to turn the bodyguards' focus away from the hallway again when she heard the front door click. Diana froze in shock and to her surprise found the door opening. Standing in the doorway stood Agent King Faraday. He held a sheepish looking Etta by her wrist and gave a smug smile directed at Diana.

"Good to see you again Madame Ambassador," King gloated triumphantly.

* * *

><p>Diana, with all her poise, sat on Vox's couch in his suite while Etta fidgeted uncomfortably next to her. Meanwhile, Faraday and his agents continued to tear up the place looking for clues. At the time being, neither woman was in handcuffs or restrained at all. Etta however, didn't find that comforting.<p>

"What are we going to do?" Etta whispered as she began to hyperventilate.

"Relax Etta," Diana ordered. "They haven't charged us with anything."

"Not yet," Faraday interrupted as he approached the two women. He continued to stare at Diana as if somehow he could scare her into a confession.

"Even if you try to wave that diplomatic immunity card, it is only a matter of time before I get the authority to arrest you on breaking and entering."

"I'm sorry, do you see any signs of forced entry?" Diana countered.

"Just because you didn't smash your way through the door doesn't mean you had the right to go to a hotel room reserved for Kasnian officials only."

"I do when I'm investigating," Diana retorted calmly.

"Investigating?"

"You heard me," Diana affirmed. "I was investigating Vox's death before you and your men came here and started contaminating the whole scene."

"Contaminating? You're the one who botched the crime scene here!" King protested.

"I'm sorry but I thought the crime scene was back in the UN lobby?"

Faraday frowned and leaned forward towards the Amazon. Their faces were only a few inches apart.

"You think you can just walk over people as if you're better than us. Well one day you're going to slip. It's a long fall from the top of the ladder, Madame Ambassador."

"Are you threatening me?" Diana asked.

"No," King denied. "Just pointing out your luck's running out. Just got off the phone with the Kasnian president before coming here. He claims he has no idea what this Crimson Flame nonsense you were babbling earlier about."

"Wait you spoke with Dragovic?" Diana asked. How was Faraday able to get a hold of the president when she couldn't as an ambassador? He probably bullied his way to get an audience with the president like a typical American agent.

"Yes, and he claims he wasn't aware of a Crimson Flame threat," Faraday continued. "It makes me more suspicious of you and it doesn't help that I found you here now."

"Well of course he's not going to verbally admit the Crimson Flame to you," Diana suggested. "Do you share with Kasnia every terrorist threat America receives?"

"Stay on subject," King ordered. "You and Vox had a fight yesterday and today he was found murdered at the UN by a weapon you have used before. And now my men have caught you and your secretary searching through the victim's apartment. Were you trying to dispose of evidence that could point back to you?"

"I told you I was doing an investigation," Diana reiterated. "I had every right to be here."

"Under whose authority?" he demanded.

"The U.S. government," a voice spoke as everyone turned their attention to the main doorway. At the door stood Superman, who looked slightly annoyed. He had in his hand some official looking paper. Confidently, the Man of Steel stepped in. To Diana's surprise she saw Shayera enter the room as well. Shayera flashed a brief look at Diana before she resumed watching Superman approach Agent Faraday.

"Here is an official order from the President of the United States requesting the Justice League conduct its own independent investigation for the murder of Ambassador Vox and the others found in the UN lobby this monring."

Faraday snatched the document and scanned it quickly. He looked back at Superman with his face slightly red in frustration.

"I was never notified of this," the agent complained. "My men have been conducting our own investigation under the authority of the president and the UN."

"The president didn't see the harm in having two different organizations investigate the case," Superman explained. "Considering the League's agreement with the UN as a whole gives us less bureaucratic hoops to jump through, we have more capabilities than your men. Wonder Woman was sent here on behalf of the League to search this place immediately. You understand of course? We wouldn't want this investigation to take too long, would we?"

Agent Faraday looked back up at Superman and for a second Diana thought he might be stupid enough to try to punch the Man of Steel in the face, but instead he relented. He then shot back a glare at Wonder Woman.

"Don't gloat about this," he warned Wonder Woman. "You can't always have the Justice League giving you a free pass for everything. One of these days you'll pay for thinking you can operate around here unchecked."

Faraday then barked orders at his men to finish up. In a matter of minutes, they quickly ended their evidence collecting and began to pack up and leave. As Faraday made to leave the suite, Diana couldn't resist to have the last word with him.

"Make sure your men send me the evidence they retrieve from Vox's computer," Diana called out. "The League thanks you for your help."

Shayera smirked at that. Faraday grumbled and stormed out while slamming the door shut. Taking a deep breath of relief, Superman then turned to face Diana while crossing his arms. He gave her a look a parent usually reserved for a misbehaving child.

"Diana what were you thinking?" Superman asked.

"Doing Faraday's job," Diana justified. "You saw how incompetent they are at it. I beat them here and have done a better job investigating than they have. Faraday's not even chasing down viable leads and just seems determined to pin this on me because I hurt his male ego."

"You still shouldn't have gone in here half-cocked," Superman replied. "You're lucky President Ross and I go way back and I was able to convince him to sign this."

Before Diana had headed over to the hotel, she realized there was a chance she or Etta could get caught in Vox's hotel room. To avoid potential incidents with the law, Diana had called Superman and asked him to cajole the president into authorizing the League to conduct its own investigation. Due to the League being its own institution given certain authority and powers by the UN and governments of most countries, Diana with the right approval could legally search the hotel suite without a warrant or guidelines. Unknown to Faraday and everyone else though, the approval had still been in the process of getting drafted when she had begun her search.

"It's alright," Diana dismissed. "You managed to get here on time and I'm grateful for that Kal."

"I'm serious Diana," Superman warned. "I know you always feel the need to be involved in everything, but be careful next time. Especially with this investigation. Don't let your pride make you impulsive like this again or it could cause an international incident and I won't be able to cover for you."

A part of Diana wanted to protest further, but she couldn't disagree completely with what her friend said. What she did was rash, but in her defense she was in a hurry.

"You're right Kal, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"I'm counting on it," Superman assured. "Which is why I'm assigning Shayera to help you work on the investigation."

"What?"

"You heard me," Superman replied. "You wanted me to get you the authority to investigate Vox's death and I have. In exchange, I want you to work with Shayera so a stunt like this doesn't happen again."

"Don't worry Di," Shayera said. "It'll be like old times."

Out of pride Diana wanted to criticize Superman for thinking she needed a baby sitter, but from a personal and tactical perspective she was glad Shayera would be helping her. Shayera was after all one of the best people she knew in forensic and detective work and also her close friend. It wasn't like she was being paired with Agent Faraday.

"Sounds like it'll be a good time," Diana agreed. "I'll call Faraday's office and make sure he sends us all the evidence he collected, including what he got from Vox's computer."

"Glad to see you two are ready to go," Superman noted. He aimed to leave, but then paused to let out a small smile at Diana.

"And congratulations Di. I'm looking forward to the wedding."

* * *

><p>Diana yawned as she approached the embassy doors and let herself in. She had spent the rest of the day going over the evidence with Shayera. At first it took a while for them to obtain anything because Faraday seemed to have been dragging his feet, but eventually Diana emerged triumphant. Unfortunately none of the evidence they had gathered so far seemed to give any hints about Vox's death. Even the names Diana found in Vox's rolodex seemed to share with Vox nothing more than the typical exchange between businessmen and government officials. Despite the unique life he had lived, Vox seemed to be a pretty normal diplomat. Or at the very least he was good at covering his tracks and erasing all paper trails that could lead back to any enemies.<p>

However, Diana was sure the Crimson Flame, whether a real terrorist organization or not, was connected to Vox's death. And she was positive Vox was killed over something in his past. The man had made multiple enemies in his lifetime. Tomorrow Shayera would try to find more about the Crimson Flame and Vox's past to see if she could find any leads, while Diana would try to get Dragovic to sponsor the treaty again. She could understand why Dragovic seemed to be avoiding her and not willing to advertise to others like Agent Faraday about the threats Kasnia received the other day. At his heart, Dragovic was a politician in a country that almost fell apart because of a war. He would do what he could to try to maintain order. Hopefully, if Diana could convince him the environmental treaty wasn't behind the threats and that she would personally make sure Kasnia was safe from the Crimson Flame, he would be more compliant with her again. But Diana knew the sooner she uncovered the mystery behind Vox's death, the better chances she had to get Dragovic on her side again.

Due to working all day though, Diana realized she had left poor Erik alone with Anya on their day off. After deciding to call it a day and dismiss Etta, Diana prepared herself to head back to the embassy and face the music. Erik probably wouldn't be pleased with her. This was a promised day off for both of them and she ruined it this time. It wasn't her job or Vox responsible for ruining this day, but her own decisions. It made Diana feel even guiltier when she believed a part of her was actually determined to avoid Erik today because she still wasn't ready to talk to him about her mother's offer. But she knew she couldn't avoid it forever and decided she owed Erik to at least spend the last few hours of their day off with him. As she entered the embassy, she found it odd that it was completely dark inside. As she entered her own apartment room she found the lights were off as well and not a soul was in sight. She couldn't hear or see any sign of Erik or Anya.

"Hello?" Diana asked nervously as she felt her spine tingle. Her muscles tightened a little before she slowly walked into the kitchen. To her surprise, she found a lone candle lit. Cautiously walking up to the candle, she saw a note in Erik's cursive handwriting under it. Diana read the note which said:

_Meet me on the roof._

Feeling a little more relaxed now, Diana quickly took off her coat and left the apartment, making her way to the embassy roof. In no time at all, she opened the door and stepped onto the rooftop. The embassy, which was in the middle of Metropolis, had a beautiful view of the city's skyline. Diana would spend many nights while working late standing on the roof just to stare at the pretty lights. It always helped her think. Metropolis reminded of Paris actually or at least, a more Americanized version of the city of lights. She felt lucky to live in a city filled with warmth and joy. The Amazon immediately spotted Erik standing in the middle of the roof, waiting for her. Behind him was a small helicopter. He gave a lazy grin and pointed a long finer at her.

"Drop your phone," he ordered. "I don't want any interruptions this time."

Diana smiled and easily complied. The world could afford a few hours without Diana of Themyscira. She then undid her hair and let her raven locks fall. Quietly she walked up to Erik and into his arms.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized regretfully.

"It's okay," Erik assured. "And don't worry about Anya. I have my manager watching her for tonight."

"What's that?" Diana asked, indicating to the helicopter behind him.

"This, is my engagement gift to you. I know you've probably spent plenty of times flying through the skyline here on your own, but have you ever taken the time to actually stop and view it in all its beauty from above?"

Diana in spite of herself couldn't help but let out a little tear at Erik's sappy, but loving gesture. He always knew how to make her feel better.

"Hop in, I'll fly," Erik offered. "Tonight, we're just going to hover and enjoy the view."

It was at that moment Diana decided right there she would tell Erik about her mother's offer later. Right now was not the time to worry about her mother or Vox or treaties. For the rest of the night, she could be just herself and happy with the man she was in love with.

* * *

><p>"Sheila you can't be serious!" Godfrey complained to his assistant over the phone as he looked over the topics for his talk show in the morning. "A water-skiing squirrel?"<p>

"_That squirrel has already broken records with online streaming videos. Higher wants you to devote C block on it."_

"This is beneath me," Godfrey whined.

"_Don't blame me. When you keep trashing celebrities, sometimes they push back. You know the network president is friends with that actress you called a has-been last week."_

"If they can't take criticism, they shouldn't be reveling in the public eye," Godfrey refuted in frustration.

"Boss," a voice from the hallway called the talk show host. "Someone on the other line is calling you about a tip."

"Write it down," Godfrey dismissed. He wasn't in the mood to receive tips from the daily wackos on bullshit stories.

"He, at least I think it's a he, said he'll only talk to you in person. Says you won't regret listening to him."

Deciding he had nothing better to do, Godfrey relented.

"Very well," Godfrey sighed. "Patch him through the phone. Sheila, I'll call you back."

Godfrey then pushed a button to go to the next line.

"Hurry up and state your business. I got a show to prep for tomorrow morning."

"_**I think you'll like what I have to say,"**_ a voice that sounded like it was muffled through a voice synthesizer to disguise it.

"Very funny Deep Throat," Godfrey remarked. It was always the weirdos calling the tip line.

"_**It has come to my attention you're one of the few media members who isn't afraid to speak out against Wonder Woman."**_

Godfrey paused at that and for the first time in a long time, he found his curiosity piqued.

"I wouldn't say speaking out but rather not afraid to criticize her. I mean she's hardly the perfect person the press likes to claim she is," Godfrey explained while trying to hide the anticipation in his voice.

"_**Well then, you'll love what I have to tip you on. There was a murder at the UN this morning."**_

"What?"

"_**The Kasnian ambassador was brutally murdered this morning along with about a dozen guards,"**_ the caller continued. _**"The U.S. government and UN are trying to cover it up."**_

Godfrey suddenly found himself sweating and his heart racing.

"N-nice try," Godfrey dismissed. "Good prank call."

"_**I'm not lying; it is the truth. Also Wonder Woman was suspected to be involved in it."**_

"How?" Godfrey asked. His interest at the tip outweighed his nervousness.

"_**She had a little tiff with the Kasnian ambassador the day before. Apparently she has a history of fighting him. Plus they suspect the murders were done by a sword. Also, it doesn't help she was caught red handed at the ambassador's hotel room earlier today and interfering with the investigation."**_

"Now hold on!" Godfrey warned. "Where's the proof of this? I can't just go off saying this without getting sued for libel or slander!"

"_**You're the press,"**_ the caller reminded. _**"The proof will emerge after you speak the truth. If you keep digging, more facts will come up."**_

And before Godfrey could say anything further the caller had hung up, leaving the talk show host at loss. It seemed too good to be true. The caller didn't give him any evidence. Yet if the U.S. or UN were covering it up, would he be able to find any proof that the story was true? In his head, Godfrey weighed the risks and rewards if he followed through on the tip. Eventually though, he made up his mind and pushed a button on his phone.

"Sheila, cancel all the stories tomorrow," Godfrey ordered. "Just don't tell headquarters about it. Tomorrow, our entire show is going to be focused on Wonder Woman."

* * *

><p><em>Gotham City<em>

"Fuck!" Boris cursed as he sped the car down the streets. His right-hand man held a machine gun and looked out the passenger window.

"How did that bitch find out about our operation?" Boris complained.

"Someone squealed," his thug suggested. "There she is!"

A motorcycle had turned sharply and followed the vehicle in hot pursuit.

"Kill her!" Boris ordered. The thug fired his gun at the speeding motorcycle. The rider however, remained undeterred and kept speeding towards the swerving car.

"Die!" the goon shouted in desperation as he fired the last of his rounds in the magazine. Before he could reload, the motorcycle rider had tossed an object that hit the thug right in the hand.

"Shit!" he cried in pain as he unintentionally dropped the gun onto the road.

"You idiot!" Boris complained. "Why did you drop that?"

"Boss look out!"

Boris turned and screamed as he crashed into the pole. His goon, who didn't have his seat belt on, went flying through the windshield and tossed out of the car like a bean bag. Luckily for Boris, he had been stopped by the steering wheel's air bag. Groaning, he felt sore all over and about to pass out, but his adrenaline kicked in. Ignoring any serious injuries to himself, Boris quickly opened the door and crawled out as he heard the sound of a motorcycle slowing down. Clenching his teeth, Boris got up and ran down the alley.

"Don't run!" a female voice called out. "You'll just hurt yourself more!"

Batwoman shook her head as she saw her target continuing to run.

"Why?" she asked as she took off the helmet and left it on the Batpod. Quickly she followed Boris Talenov down the dark alley he had taken. It had taken her an entire week, but she had finally tracked down the new gun runner for Maroni Jr. She had intended to bring him in quietly to the police, but Boris wasn't willing to give up. No matter, it would make a more entertaining New Year's Day for her. As Batwoman ran down the alley, she remained unaware that there was an even narrower one that led off to the left side. It was a perfect spot for someone to hide and jump out at anyone running along the main alley. Unfortunately, she only realized the mistake too late. Boris jumped out from the smaller alley and smacked Batwoman with a metal pipe right along the back. Crying in shock and pain, Batwoman fell down in surprise. A large man himself, Boris wasted no time and kicked her in the gut. Coughing, Batwoman reacted quickly and got to her feet. However Boris was ready and took another swing, this time at her head.

"Arrghh!" Batwoman yelped as she felt a sharp pain in her head while her world began to spin. It was stupid of herself to allow an idiot like Boris get the drop on her.

"Bitch!" Boris cursed and hit her again. "I survived prison in Siberia. You think a girl like you can take me down?"

"Woman!" Batwoman corrected and produced a sharp battarang that she used to stab Boris in the hand. Boris yelped in pain and dropped the pipe. Batwoman then began to unload a series of blows on the large Russian criminal. Yet like her, Boris wasn't ready to go down easily and regained his bearing. As she aimed for a kick, Boris blocked it and pushed back, knocking Batwoman to the ground. Before she could recover again, Boris grabbed her and slammed her against the alley wall. He aimed a powerful punch in the gut that caused her to gasp in pain and collapse to the ground.

"It was foolish of you to try to take me on by yourself," Boris taunted at Batwoman who hadn't recovered from the last blow.

"What…makes you think I came alone?" Batwoman responded as she tried to get up. Suddenly sensing something large behind him, Boris turned around to find an imposing figure with a black, featureless face behind him. Two threatening, white eyes stared at him,

"**Boo,"** the figure taunted in a robotic sounding voice. Boris cried in fear and punched the figure only to find his hand hitting metal. He yelped in pain and surprise as a tight metallic hand gripped him by the throat.

"**You and I need to have a talk. The roof seems a nice place,"** the figure offered as Boris screamed.

* * *

><p>Due to his body aging and his problems with alcohol and painkillers, Bruce a long time ago realized he needed to improve the Batsuit to accommodate his growing handicaps. Three years ago, he had designed a new suit that served more like a robotic exo-skeleton that he could wear. Stephanie liked to call it the Iron Giant. The suit, which was a combination of black and purple in color, greatly helped Bruce continue as Batman. Not only did it grant him better strength and reflexes, but it also allowed him to fully cover his face. The iron mask did a good job at masking his long hair and beard, which would've made him easier to identify for anyone paying attention to the rare public appearances Bruce Wayne made lately.<p>

However, the suit came with drawbacks. Despite being designed to supplement Bruce and his strength in his older age, it still placed a strain on him physically. Bruce found his blood pressure and heartbeat going crazy and his muscles sorer than ever after using it. Sometimes Bruce would have to take the week off after using the suit because of the toll it took on his body. It was worth the risk though. He let Stephanie do the brunt of the patrolling anyways. Batman would only come out and patrol with the suit when needed. And this night was one of those times he was needed. Before they had tracked down Boris, Bruce had anticipated Stephanie would need help. Boris wasn't a common thug like the others. Being seven feet tall, over three hundred pounds, and surviving Russia's most brutal prison, he wasn't easy to take down by fists alone. But now, Batman was effortlessly holding Boris upside down by the foot over the roof. According to the file, Boris was deathly scared of heights.

"You can't do this!" Boris complained. "You can't scare me!"

"I'd hurry and talk if I were you," Batwoman suggested. "He gets all butterfingers when he gets bored."

"I know how you operate!" Boris shot back although it was clear he was half-scared to death at the moment. "You two won't kill me!"

"**You want to put that to the test?"** Batman asked as he slackened his grip slightly.

"Ooooh now you've done it," Batwoman taunted. "You made him mad."

"**You have five seconds before I let go,"** Batman ordered. **"If you survive the fall, I'll start breaking what remained intact after the impact."**

"Heads up, he counts fast," Batwoman interjected.

"**Five…"**

"Hope you hit the trash bags."

"**Four…"**

"Alright!" Boris screamed. "Alright! Stop!"

"Wow, new record," Batwoman noted. "I guess the bigger ones are also the bigger pussies."

"You watch your mouth," Boris warned as Batman dropped him on the roof.

"**Tell me how Maroni buys his weapons from you now**," Batman ordered. **"Or I'll make you wish I just dropped you from the roof."**

"Fine! Maroni usually buys from me through a third party! A couple of Asian gooks; Mr. Han and Mr. Son. They usually buy on his behalf and purchase some things for themselves as well. In exchange, Maroni helps smuggle their drugs here via his trucks for a discounted rate. That's all I know about Maroni's operation! I swear!

"Are you sure?" Batwoman asked. "Because now is the time to get everything off your chest. He's not as tolerant to those who withhold information from him after he's asked nicely."

"That's all you bitch! I'm just an arms dealer! I don't care what my clients need them for!"

"**And yet you're happy to put more weapons out on the street,"** Batman replied with disgust. **"GCPD will be on their way to take you in. I'm sure they'll be happy to have you, especially after that cop was killed by one of your guns last week."**

"They don't scare me!" Boris shot back, regaining some of his confidence and defiance again. "I survived Russia! I'll be back before you know it!"

"**Unlikely,"** Batman replied and tossed something at him. Crying in shock, Boris found himself bound by the rapidly spinning ropes as he fell to the ground. He cursed in pain when he made impact.

"This isn't over Batman! I'll get out and be coming back for you!"

Batman ignored him and turned around to leave the fallen arms dealer for the police.

"Talk about a sore loser," Batwoman muttered to Batman.

"I'll get out one day! And when I do, I'll be coming for you! No one makes a fool out of Boris!"

Batman and his partner continued to ignore the thug's empty threats as they simultaneously got both their grapple guns out.

"And when I get out, I'm going to find every person you ever loved and take them out. That's what you get when you mess with Boris! All your loved ones will be dead with a bullet in them!"

At that moment Batman had frozen still. When he heard Boris's last remark, he couldn't help but see a replay of a blur of images. A fast gunshot, a scream in horror, a dead body in his arms. And lastly he heard the triumphant, taunting voice again.

"_**I just killed someone you both loved. We're even now,"**_ Deathstroke's voice rang in his head.

Maybe it was because Boris had unintentionally made Batman flashback to a memory that haunted his nightmares the last few years, or maybe it was because Batman hadn't taken his pain killers all day due to his expectation that he would be patrolling tonight and was suffering from withdrawal, but at that moment Batman only saw red. He quickly turned around and stormed to a bound Boris.

"**You like making threats?"** Batman asked.** "Perhaps you didn't learn your lesson."**

"What are you doing?" Batwoman asked.

In anger Batman stomped on Boris's chest. Boris howled in pain. He had broken at least two ribs, but Batman wasn't satisfied yet. He unleashed another violent kick in the gut at Boris, who couldn't help but vomit a little in response.

"**You want to know what happens when you make threats like that to me?"** Batman demanded and picked up the weakened Boris. With his free hand, he repeatedly punched the thug in the side.

"**I make sure they aren't physically able to act on those threats!"** Batman responded. **"How can you harm anyone with a broken leg?"**

"Enough!" Batwoman protested. It horrified her to see her mentor this angry. But Batman wasn't deterred and quickly broke Boris's right leg. Boris screamed in shock as Batman continued to beat him.

"**What can I break next before you pass out?"** Batman asked. **"Maybe the other leg?"**

"Stop it!" Batwoman protested again and went up to grab him, even though she knew he could easily overpower her while wearing the suit.

"**Or your arm?"** Batman asked as he proceeded to carry out his suggestion. He then continued to merciless beat the large man. It was a miracle to Batwoman that Boris was still conscious. But Batman didn't see Boris. He instead imagined a sinister orange and black mask.

"**No more! No more! You will not harm anyone again!"** Batman shouted. **"I'll do what I should've done in the first place!"**

"STOP!" Batwoman cried as she managed to summon the strength to pull Batman back. Quickly, she got in between Batman and the nearly unconscious criminal.

"Enough! He's down!"

Boris moaned in pain. Batman glared at Batwoman and looked back at Boris. A part of him immediately felt shame at himself. He never let himself lose control like that because it made him bad at his job. He could feel his own body shaking inside the iron suit. His leg started throbbing and he felt slightly nauseous. He needed his pills right now! The pain had increased and his body needed them.

"**I didn't kill him,"** Batman dismissed darkly, trying to hide his body's exponentially growing demand for his drugs. **"He'll heal."**

"He needs an ambulance!" Batwoman complained.

"**Then call one,"** Batman replied, not really paying attention to what he was saying. It was as if his whole world was spinning around him and he felt light headed. Never did his withdrawal symptoms feel as bad as this. He needed to focus! But then he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Crying involuntarily in pain, he collapsed to the ground and clutched his chest while feeling his leg spasm. He couldn't breath and it felt like as if Superman himself was crushing his chest muscles together.

"You okay?" Batwoman asked with concern.

Batman gasped and closed his eyes in pain as he felt his irregular heartbeat. He slowly twisted his neck and tried to command his whole body to toughen up and ignore the shakes, the spasms, and withdrawal symptoms. He needed to get up! Pretending his leg had not flared up and that he had not experienced a mild heart attack, on pure anger and pride, Batman weakly got to his feet.

"**Call an ambulance,"** Batman ordered. **"I'll meet you back at the cave."**

"But-"

"**Now,"** Batman ordered as he called the Batwing. He needed to head back to the Batcave quickly.

* * *

><p><em>Gotham City-2009<em>

_Bruce quietly sat and stared at the lifeless body of Alfred. The heart monitor beeped ominously every couple of seconds as if it was the old man's impending death toll. Still feeling angry and upset, Bruce stared at Alfred's body as if he could will the old man to wake up. Barbara was next to him and she remained unsure what to do. For a whole week Bruce had remained at Alfred's bedside leaving her and Dick to patrol Gotham. Occasionally, she or Dick would pay Alfred and Bruce a visit, but neither of them would stay long. Poor Bruce would always remain like a statue and would never say a word. Barbara wasn't sure if he ever ate or drank anything the past week. He hadn't shaved his face either and his whiskers had started growing into a messy beard._

"_I need to go pick up my dad," Barbara said meekly and she slowly got up. "I'll come by tomorrow."_

_She then leaned in quietly to put a hand on his shoulder. Quickly squeezing tightly, she hoped Bruce would appreciate the attempted gesture of comfort. But he remained impassive and didn't respond. Sighing, Barbara turned around and left, passing the doctor entering the room on her way out. The doctor took one look at the disheveled Bruce and cleared his throat._

"_Any news on his prognosis?" Bruce croaked out in a low voice before the doctor could begin._

"_No Mr. Wayne," the doctor said nervously. "I'm here for-er you."_

"_I'm not leaving until he wakes up," Bruce warned. "I'll sign whatever waivers you need me to."_

"_Not that Mr. Wayne, I'm here about your general health."_

"_I'm fine."_

"_The way you've been limping around says otherwise," the doctor corrected. Bruce turned around and glared at the doctor who almost froze at the sight of his bloodshot eyes._

"_I um, noticed you limping the other day and I curiously looked up your medical history-"_

"_You had no right," Bruce hissed. "Those records are private."_

"_Technically those records belong to the hospital as you refused to list a primary care provider since Dr. Thompkins left. For the time being, the hospital has a right to have access to your medical records if-"_

"_What do you want?" Bruce snapped. He wasn't in the mood to speak over legal jargon with a young, overzealous doctor._

"_Well I noticed you had an MRI on your leg after coming in and complaining it was stiff last year. I looked over the result and found it's no small injury. You're missing a lot of tissue in your knee!"_

"_I've kept an active lifestyle," Bruce explained. "I'm fine."_

"_And what about that injury on your thigh? I've treated enough patients to know when a muscle has been permanently damaged by a knife. What did you do?"_

"_None of your business," Bruce countered. "I already consulted a doctor and elected not to get surgery. Didn't like the odds."_

"_But without surgery Mr. Wayne that means you have to be in tremendous pain!"_

"_Pain is manageable," Bruce countered. "Now get out."_

_The doctor seemed befuddled by Bruce's reluctance to accept any treatment, but he managed to regain his bearing. He stuck his hand in his pocket to pull out a bottle. _

"_I figured if you didn't want the surgery, I could prescribe you at least these," the doctor offered. "They're pretty strong painkillers that can-"_

"_I don't want any pills, get out," Bruce ordered again. _

"_Very well Mr. Wayne. I'll leave these here with you if you change your mind. Whatever your reasons are, it doesn't make you stronger trying to endure the pain without help. If you won't do surgery, at least take the pills. I'm obligated as a doctor to try to at the very least help you manage your symptoms."_

_The doctor then placed the pill bottle on the counter and quickly scurried out, leaving Bruce alone with the comatose Alfred. Quickly Bruce grabbed the bottle and looked at the prescription. The doctor had given him a powerful painkiller. Clearly the doctor underestimated his tolerance for pain. Deciding it'd be better if he just kept them in the Manor and let them rot rather than throw them away for some junkie to find while dumpster diving, Bruce put them in his pocket just as the door swung open. _

"_We need to talk," Dick whispered quickly._

"_Close the door," Bruce ordered. Dick shut the door and looked at Bruce with a sense of urgency on his face._

"_If you need more backup, talk to Gordon," Bruce suggested. "I'm not going back onto the streets until he wakes up."_

"_It's not that, your computer found Deathstroke."_

_Bruce froze at the mention of that name. For a second, that word seemed to be something so alien and unfamiliar as if he had forgotten it over the last week. It took him awhile to react to what Dick had just said._

"_It what?"_

"_Deathstroke," Dick explained. "That algorithm you had the computer running kept going all week and finally located a place. Apparently a mine in South America was recently bought out by a dummy company linked to Ra's."_

"_Doesn't mean Deathstroke is there," Bruce reminded Dick._

"_No but the reason the algorithm picked it up was because a politician who shut down the mine last month was found murdered this week with his tendons sliced. The MO matches Deathstroke's. Conveniently, the company bought out the mine and resumed operations right after the politician's death. Ra's would have Deathstroke stay there for awhile to probably threaten any other politicians who would try to shut down the mine again."_

_Bruce was impressed by Dick's thinking, but then he remembered he had taught him everything. Regretfully, the tired man looked back at Alfred. He had promised to be there when Alfred would wake up but right now, Deathstroke and Ra's were involved in something that was a more serious threat than just a common robbery._

"_I'm sorry Alfred," Bruce whispered and then weakly got up. "Where is the mine?"_

"_Not so fast," Dick warned. "You think you're just going to go there on your own?"_

"_I make the decisions, not you," Bruce reminded the young man. "Where is the mine?"_

"_You can't be serious. If Deathstroke is there, he'll take you out easily. I mean you haven't slept or eaten all week. You're in no shape to fight him alone."_

"_That is not for you to decide. Give me the location or I'll look it up on the computer myself."_

"_I thought you would do that, so I already deleted the information from the algorithm and the computer. The location of the mine is in here," Dick responded defiantly and pointed to his head. Bruce stared murderously at Dick for his insubordination._

"_You could try to recreate the algorithm and do all the research and find the location yourself again, but it'll take time. Time you don't have because from the looks of it, Ra's or Deathstroke won't be at the mine for long. This shell company has a habit of buying mines for only a couple of days before selling them. You have a tight window to catch them if they're there."_

_Bruce continued to give Dick the meanest glare he could muster._

"_What do you want?" he demanded venomously._

"_To take me with you," Dick said calmly. "You're going to need my help and I know where the location is. Seems like a fair trade."_

"_Absolutely not," Bruce warned. "This is my fight."_

"_For Christ's sake Bruce, get over it. Now's not the time for your ego to get in the way. Either you let me go with you, or I'll send the location to the Justice League instead."_

_Bruce's brow furrowed because he didn't like to be given ultimatums, especially from his subordinates. But Dick had put him in a tough spot. Deciding he much rather have Dick with him than Clark or the others, he relented. He had already broken ties with the League and wasn't interested in mending them any time soon._

"_Fine," Bruce acquiesced. "You have one hour to get ready."_

_Giving a satisfied smile, Dick hurried out of the room. Bruce grabbed his jacket and made to follow, but paused and looked back at the body of Alfred behind him._

"_Hold on Alfred," Bruce whispered softly as he fought the urge to cry. "I'll be back, I promise."_


	6. The Smear Campaign

_Kasnia-2005_

_She felt like she had died a thousand times. Her whole world felt numb and out of sync as if she had become a ghost. The voices around her sounded muffled. Fighting the urge to remain in oblivion, Audrey opened her eyes. The thing she noticed immediately was the searing pain all around her body. On cue, she unintentionally let out a loud cry._

"_Your Majesty!" Wolfgang replied in relief. He had a few other members of the Kasnian government behind him as well._

"_Whe-where am I?" Audrey whispered weakly. Why did it hurt to talk so much?_

"_You're in the hospital," Wolfgang explained. "The summit-"_

_Images replayed in her memories. She remembered walking up to the faction leaders while feeling inspired and confident. Then there was the young man. He had approached her and exploded. Last thing she recalled was Igor trying to protect her from the blast._

"_Where's Igor?" Audrey demanded. By now she realized she had bandages all over her body. Wolfgang bit his lip._

"_I'm sorry, your Majesty," Wolfgang expressed with regret. "He didn't make it. He died to save you."_

_Again Audrey felt the need to cry. Igor was always her personal favorite and had remained kind and loyal to her. It was at that moment she noticed she had bandages on her face as well._

"_What happened to me?" she demanded._

"_You were burned badly," Wolfgang explained. "About 80% of your body-"_

"_I want a mirror!" she shouted._

"_Your Majesty I don't-"_

"_I order you to find me a mirror right now!" she yelled. Wolfgang meekly complied and handed her one. Audrey noticed the government officials behind her had started whispering to each other. When Audrey held the mirror up to her face, she realized she looked like a mummy. She could only see her eyes and lips through the bandages._

"_We don't know who orchestrated the attack," the government official explained. "However, the bomber seemed to be sympathetic to the North. He shouted out Nardoc's name before he killed himself. Dragovic swears he had nothing to do with it, but we're investigating him right now."_

_Audrey didn't really pay attention to the brief and instead just stared at her reflection._

"_Your Majesty," another official interjected. "I know you just woke up, but right now we're in a critical time. The country could dive back into chaos soon and riots will break out everywhere. We need to know what you want us to do next in order to try to keep the peace talks going."_

"_You can't be serious," another official protested. "You saw what they did to her. The North showed their true colors when they tried to kill her."_

"_Dragovic denies any involvement. We can't judge the actions of the whole by one lone wolf. We can't just give up our chance for-"_

"_I want you all to leave," Audrey ordered. Everyone in the room stared at her in surprise as if they didn't expect her to command them like that._

"_Leave me alone, now!" she shouted forcefully._

"_Your Majesty," Wolfgang protested. "You just got up and still need-"_

"_Leave now, or I will have you imprisoned!" Audrey warned. Quickly everyone scattered out of the room and left their queen to herself. The minute the door closed, Audrey grabbed the bandages and ripped them off her face. She immediately gasped in horror at what she saw looking back at her in the mirror. Her once golden hair was completely gone. Either burned away or shaven by the doctors she wasn't sure. The face meanwhile was red and pink. There were lines and marks everywhere. The first thing she thought of was she looked like an alien in one of those bad American sci-fi movies. Lastly, her eyebrows and eyelashes were missing. _

_In rage Audrey threw the mirror to the ground so she couldn't look at the now disfigured monster in front of her. The mirror crashed into a million pieces, just like all the hopes and dreams she had for the summit. Audrey cried alone in the room. She had extended a hand out for peace and what she got in return was permanent disfigurement. As a monarch, she had managed to avoid many of the horrors of the conflict. Now she had become a victim of it herself._

* * *

><p><em>Metropolis-January 2, 2018<em>

Yawning, Diana's eyes fluttered open. She was alone in her bed this time. It seemed Erik had beaten her in getting up. Stretching and feeling good, Diana reflected back to the romantic night Erik had taken her on. They had flown around the skyline for hours just observing the city lights. They didn't say anything the whole time and just quietly held hands as Erik continued to pilot around. She could have done it forever if the helicopter didn't have a limited amount of fuel. After all the stress she had endured the last few weeks, Erik's romantic date was exactly what she needed. Walking out of her room, Diana entered the living room of the apartment to find Erik sitting on the floor waving a doll in front of Anya. The little girl kept smiling as Erik made the doll dance in front of her. Erik then handed it to Anya and she clutched it tightly. The doll was a simple woolen one that looked like a shepherd girl. The doll had blond hair and black buttons for eyes. Anya held the doll as if it was the most valuable thing in the world for her.

"Yes, she's yours," Erik assured. Anya looked up and smiled as she saw Diana walk in. Erik turned around to greet her.

"Morning Babe," he responded before kissing her on the cheek.

"When did you have time to get a doll?" Diana asked.

"You'd be surprise what retail stores are open on New Year's Day. Besides, remember it was my day off yesterday?"

"You're never going to live that down are you?"

"Nope," Erik admitted. "Are you going to the UN today?"

"They still have the building locked down from what Etta has told me. Official release is a gas leak happened."

"Shame. I guess you just have to stay home with me today," Erik lamented sarcastically.

"Not so fast," Diana corrected. "I plan to still work at home. I'm going to try to get ahold of Dragovic and schedule a meeting with him. He can't ignore me forever. Then Shayera's coming over to help me with the murder case."

"But you can afford to take some time off for lunch, right?" Erik asked hopefully. "I got to go to Brazil tomorrow morning."

"Maybe, what did you have in mind?"

Before Erik could elaborate, Diana's phone had gone off. Realizing it was Etta calling, Diana immediately picked it up.

"Morning Etta," Diana greeted.

"_Ma'am, you have to turn to channel seven right now!"_

"Why?"

"_You have to see what Godfrey is saying!"_

"Etta I don't care what that trash-"

"_Ma'am please!"_ Etta urged. Deciding to follow through on Etta's request, Diana turned on the TV and changed the channel to seven. Godfrey had an early morning talk show which had gradually grown in popularity over time, much to Diana's annoyance. When Diana changed the channel, she saw Godfrey talking with a picture of herself in the background. That in itself wasn't very unusual. Trashing her was Godfrey's favorite pastime. It was the headline on the bottom of the screen that alarmed the ambassador. The headline was "Murder at the UN?"

"_Yes, we don't have all the details yet,"_ Godfrey explained. _"But sources indicate that a massacre took place at the UN on New Year's Eve!"_

"How the Hades did he find out about the murder?" Diana complained. Godfrey wasn't the same level of journalist as Lois was.

"_But why has this been kept quiet you asked? A government cover up? Or more likely an attempt to protect someone like Wonder Woman?"_

"You got to be kidding me," Erik muttered.

"_Sources have speculated the Kasnian ambassador was murdered that night along with the security detail present. The most peculiar thing though is Wonder Woman, the so-called 'Ambassador of Peace,' always had a habit of not getting along with him. What is even more interesting though is she was detained by authorities as a prime suspect, especially after they caught her breaking into the victim's apartment hours after his murder!"_

"I told you that was a bad idea," Erik muttered ruefully.

"Godfrey doesn't know the full story!"

"_According to an anonymous source, the victims were slain by a sword. So let me paint you the picture folks. We got an Amazon known for being violent and even using a sword. We have a bunch of dead bodies, including a dignitary who didn't get along with the Amazon, killed by a sword. And now we have said Amazon breaking into the victim's apartment and being questioned by the authorities? What does this sound like to you?"_

"Can't you sue him for libel?" Erik asked.

"He's too clever for that," Diana complained. "Noticed how he never directly said I was somehow behind it? He must've received a tip from one of Faraday's men. We can't sue him for stating the facts without context."

"_Ma'am, are you still there?"_ Etta spoke on the phone, reminding Diana she was still on the line.

"Yes Etta, I'm sorry. How did this happen?"

"_Agent Faraday thinks you leaked it somehow."_

"Me? Why would I do that? To Godfrey of all people as well?"

"_I don't know. He sounded very angry on the phone. Said something about tainting the investigation."_

"And the whole UN will get wind of this," Diana complained. "Etta I need you to do something for me."

"_Yes Ma'am?"_

"Call the ambassadors and heads of state that have been our biggest supporters of the treaty. We need to lock their support in before this blows up."

"_What about the ambassadors of Russia and China? They've been looking for excuses to back out."_

"Leave them to me," Diana assured. "I'll keep them in line. Priority right now is to make sure we still have our core support in place."

Diana hung up and then rushed out of the living room.

"Babe, maybe the first thing you should do is address Godrey's show," Erik suggested. "My PR guy can put out a good defense and make him look like a fool."

"Godfrey's an idiot," Diana called back dismissively. "This report will die down in a week. The real issue is that he has given fuel for more people to sink the treaty. I'm not going to let a blowhard like him destroy two years' worth of negotiating and planning."

At this point Godfrey had started reading tweets on his coverage.

"_So we got sailorbabe36 calling me 'a sexist misogynist' for daring to accuse Wonder Woman for murder in spite of all the good work she has done for the world. Well sailorbabe, despite your overkill with your words, I'm just asking the questions. We all act like this Wonder Woman is beyond reproach, but we've seen in the past these hero types have caused damage and have tempers. Hardly the sources of inspiration we should look up to."_

"I don't know Di," Erik cautioned nervously. "I have a feeling this could go bad."

"The treaty failing will be worse and that will happen if I don't get to work right now," Diana shot back. "I'm willing for my ego to take the hit as Godfrey gets a temporary ratings boost."

"_Now we got a tweet from jazzsweethands007 who states 'LOL Godfrey; aren't ya forgetting WW was at the parade for NYE?' Yes she was, but not the entire night. We don't know when the murder exactly took place. Nor does it change the fact she was allegedly caught breaking into the victim's apartment. What is she trying to hide?"_

"I need to see if I can grab a word with Dragovic," Diana said to herself as she pulled up the phone and dialed a number. "Hello? This the Themysciran Ambassador. I need to be put in touch with President Dragovic. No this can't wait. I tried calling yesterday!"

"_DrivetotheMoon$3 is accusing me of making this all up. If I was, why hasn't the government or the UN come forward to refute this yet? Are they afraid to admit the truth?"_

"No I don't want to talk to the Minister of Interior. I want to talk to the president!"

Anya sat down and started to cry. Erik noticed her right away and grabbed the small child.

"It's okay," Erik assured in a calm voice. "She's just having a bad day."

"Hera!" Diana snapped and slammed the phone down. She closed her eyes as if in pain before taking a deep breath to calm herself.

"Are you alright?" Erik asked. Tears were still coming out of Anya's eyes.

"No," Diana admitted. "But getting angry and frustrated isn't going to fix anything."

"_All we're doing is asking questions. I haven't claimed anything other than what has transpired. A murder at the UN, some possible evidence tampering, and a government cover up. It's our duty as American citizens to uncover the truth and demand answers."_

Diana grabbed the remote and turned it off. A part of her wanted to destroy the TV because of the smug, gloating look on Godfrey's face. She already did that once a lifetime ago. Today though, she was a completely different Amazon; older and much calmer in temperament.

"Much better," Diana sighed with relief. Anya seemed to have stopped crying and eyed Diana cautiously.

"I know it's not your fault," Erik assured. "You can't let scum like Godfrey get to you."

"You're right," Diana admitted and she walked over to grab Anya from his arms.

"It's okay Anya," she whispered in a hush voice.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll have to do with what I can. Right now, I've been stonewalled by Dragovic. Etta for the time being will try to keep our main supporters still onboard. The only thing I can do now is hopefully try to make a breakthrough on Vox's murder."

"But, crime solving is usually not your scene," Erik pointed out.

"Then it's a good thing I have Shayera with me."

"I still think you should probably handle Godfrey."

"I don't have time," Diana dismissed. "I need to solve Vox's murder, or at least find a viable connection. Without Dragovic, the treaty will collapse."

She handed the little girl back to Erik.

"Besides, Godfrey has a small group of viewers. This will die down quickly."

Heading back to her office, Diana picked up a phone and called a number.

"Shayera? Yes, it's me. I saw him on the news too. Look, right now we need to solve Vox's murder. How quickly can you get over here?"

* * *

><p>"Well that was a dead end," Shayera complained as she hung up the phone. Diana and she had spent the entire day going over the evidence they had gathered, as well as looking over Vox's past. So far, nothing had raised any red flags. Shayera spent most of the afternoon talking to a few contacts to try to reveal some information, but nothing had come up so far.<p>

"It's alright Shay," Diana grumbled. "I appreciate the help."

"I'm afraid I'm not good at looking over files or talking on the phone. Perhaps I can go out in the field and spend quality time with some people who might be willing to give me answers if I ask nicely."

Diana knew Shayera's definition of asking nicely involved usually tapping her mace threateningly.

"Are you sure you've never heard of the Crimson Flame?" Diana asked. It annoyed her when she had discovered that Faraday hadn't looked into the Flame lead at all.

"You said Vox called it a Kasnian ghost story or something like that," Shayera pointed out. "Maybe that's all it is."

"It's just too coincidental. Kasnia receives some threats and Vox is then found murdered? Dragovic may be playing dumb on the Flame, but it doesn't change the fact those videos scared him. If he thinks the public learning about the Flame is dangerous, it has to be real."

"Yea, but that doesn't prove they killed Vox. The man had a lot of people who wanted him dead. Besides, I think he wasn't just murdered. He was assassinated."

"Why do you say that?"

"Just look at the wounds on the bodies. Who kills people with swords first off? And the cuts right along tendons. That wasn't an accident. Someone knew what they were doing."

"Vox had his body mangled up though," Diana pointed out. "Did you see all the cuts over his body?"

"Whoever killed him wanted him to suffer or was instructed to, but even looking at this and the bodies of the other victims, we're clearly dealing with a professional. If Vox was killed out of rage, the cuts and wounds would be a lot more random and not precise. The person who mauled and killed him was an expert."

Diana looked over some photos and thought what Shayera had just said. Her theory started to make more sense than just a simple murder. Someone may've hired a professional to assassinate Vox, but why?

"This changes things," Diana mused. "Maybe we can track down the assassin based on this work and perhaps find out who hired him."

"That's exactly what I was thinking. Instead of trying to figure out why Vox was killed, maybe we should just focus on who killed him. Based on the evidence, I'm inclined to suspect whoever paid the hit on Vox really wanted him to experience a lot of pain first."

"That is true," Diana noted as she tried pulling out a document she had already read twice.

"What are you going to do about your mother's offer?" Shayera asked nonchalantly.

"Shhh," Diana snapped and looked around. Erik was still in their bedroom, at least she hoped he was.

"You still haven't told him?" Shayera whispered back.

"That's not my priority right now," Diana quickly explained under her breath.

"Di, you can't-"

"I know, I know," Diana admitted. "I'll tell him as soon as this crisis goes away. I can't worry about three things at once."

"And the little girl?"

"What about her?"

"What are you going to do with her? You can't just keep her forever."

"Chief Sawyer still hasn't found any leads on where she came from," Diana explained. "I'm not turning her over to child services until I know her whole story."

"But what if the chief never finds anything? Are you going to adopt her or give her up?"

Before Diana could answer, Erik opened the door. He held Anya's little hand as she followed him into the room. The Amazon made eye contact with Anya who stared back questioningly as if she knew Diana had been talking about her with Shayera. Immediately Diana felt guilty for some reason.

"Babe," Erik complained. "It's getting late. Anya needs to get to bed and so should you."

Before Diana could give a rebuttal, Shayera had stood up.

"Your beau's right," the Thanagarian agreed. "I got to call it a night too. Poor John's probably stressing out with the kids right now."

"I'll lead you out," Erik offered as he followed the pregnant alien and held the door opened for her.

"Thanks," Shayera grunted. "I'll chase down some leads this week Di. Don't worry, I'll come up with something. Even if I have to bust some skulls, I'll get some answers."

Erik shut the door and looked back at Diana.

"She kind of scares me," Erik admitted. Unfortunately, Diana didn't even crack a smile at his joke. Frustrated, Erik walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Di, you need to relax," he suggested. "Let's go to bed."

Diana shrugged her shoulders away from Erik's massaging hands.

"I know Erik. I'll be there. Just give me a few more minutes."

"Alright," Erik agreed in defeat. He then leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

"I love you."

Diana turned her head and gave him a quick kiss on the lips in response.

"Not as much as I love you," she assured. Feeling a little better, Erik left his fiancé and went back in their room. Alone finally, Diana buried her hands in her face and groaned. Not even Shayera could help her find anything. And Dragovic continued to remain elusive as ever. She was glad that they had managed to keep all the countries supporting the treaty from the beginning onboard, according to Etta. However, Etta had received some questions about what happened at the UN. Diana could probably go on a news show other than Godfrey's to set the record straight, but she would probably get in more trouble with Faraday for actually talking about the investigation. To think as one of the best ambassadors and negotiators in the world, she found her latest efforts threatened to be undone by a hack like Godfrey.

Sensing someone next to her, Diana turned and found Anya sitting on the floor and looking up at her curiously. Letting out a small smile, Diana grabbed the little girl and put her on her lap. Absentmindedly, she looked at the burn scars on Anya's arms. It still disturbed Diana that someone not only hurt this little girl, but probably tortured her as well. She buried her face in Anya's hair and began to softly sing an Amazon prayer in Ancient Greek. It was something her mother always used to sing to her when she was little. Anya's face had a look of content as her eyes fluttered. Pretty soon, she had fallen fast asleep in Diana's arms. Standing up, the Amazon carried her away.

"I'll keep you safe, I promise."

* * *

><p><em>Ten Days Later<em>

Diana stormed into the UN building in a hurry. It had been a week and half since word of Vox's murder broke out. Due to Faraday and his incompetent investigation unable to turn up anything, he had to allow the UN to be open for business again. Unfortunately, Diana and Shayera had not much better luck than Faraday. Despite Shayera's best efforts, nothing fruitful had come up yet. However, the past three days Shayera decided to go chase down some leads her way and Diana hadn't heard from her yet. Not that she had much time to continue the investigation at the moment. The last three days she had turned her focus on the UN. While the treaty still remained on track, Russia and China had begun to lead a dissent movement to back out of it. With Kasnia's noticeable absence, it gave their cause, especially Russia, more ground to stand on.

Currently, Diana decided to take the fight to the opposition personally. She was glad they finally opened up the UN again. She hated working at the embassy the last week and a half. Doing things by phone seemed to give her detractors more courage than when she confronted them face to face. Furthermore, she couldn't ever turn the TV on anymore, which she usually did when she worked at home. Not only had Godfrey not let up on his campaign, it seemed other gossip channels started picking up on it. While Diana always remained annoyed by how just as untruthful they were, she used to rely on them as an ego boost due to the usual positive things they said about her. However, the story had remained far away from the primetime news channels and respectable outlets of journalism. Even Lois said the only person interested in covering Godfrey's half-truths was the _Planet's_ gossip columnist.

Yet, after a week and a half of false speculation, Godfrey's campaign started to get under Diana's skin. She had to deal with a growing diplomatic catastrophe and try to solve a murder investigation with an uncooperative government agent and thus, she couldn't have time to give Godfrey and his like her attention. So as Diana continued to work and worry about things that had actual consequence, Godfrey would use her as a target to keep raising his ratings. For the most part though, the mainstream media seemed to understand that Godfrey was a liar. She knew his narrative would pass eventually. For the meantime, Diana would just have to hold her head high and ignore him. He had embarrassed himself once, and he would do it again eventually.

"Madame Ambassador," a Slavic accent greeted her as she entered the lobby. Diana spotted Dimitri Govich, the Russian ambassador. Govich stood in front of her as if he had waited in that spot to talk to her the minute she stepped inside. Unlike Vox, Diana had a civil relationship with Dimitri despite often finding herself butting heads with him. He also had an annoying habit of leering at her and she knew Dimitri, being an old fashioned man, would rather see her as just a pretty lady instead of a capable woman. Much to Diana's dismay, Dimitri wasn't alone though.

"Hello Dimitri," Diana greeted before looking at the Chinese ambassador. "Hello Ambassador Lang."

Lang, unlike Dimitri who always remained opinionated and open about his thoughts, was always quiet and reserved. In the past, Diana found him and his country often more difficult to work with because of Lang's habit of being very low key on his motives and objectives. One day he could indicate he would be willing to support a measure only to change his mind the next day. Similar to how she conducted herself with Dimitri, Diana never let herself get intimidated by Lang. She could perfectly handle both of them, but usually when separated. With them working together though, she wasn't as confident. Nonetheless, Diana refused to show any hesitation and looked at both men.

"I take it you're here to accost me about the treaty?"

"I'm afraid I don't like your tone-"

"Save it Dimitri," Diana cut in bluntly. "Your country has been looking for an excuse to back out of this treaty from the beginning. I see you brought Ambassador Lang here for support."

"I only serve my country's interests," Lang corrected in his thick Mandarin accent. "Not Russia's. Ambassador Govich and I simply realized we both have our own concerns that overlap."

"Of course you do," Diana replied with disbelief.

"Madame Ambassador," Dimitri butted in. "I've talked to my fellow Slavic ambassadors. With Kasnia's lack of support, a lot of them remain wary of the treaty now due to Kasnia's position. As you know, we Russians share a common interest with our Slavic brethren."

"In other words, Kasnia backing out gives you the excuse you've been waiting for," Diana rejected. "Vox loved to remind me that all the time as leverage over me before he died."

"Madame," Dimitri protested in shock. "Ambassador Vox has recently-"

"And I won't let you use his death to weaken me. I'm not a pushover Dimitri."

"Regardless," Lang interjected to remind Diana he was also there. "With the growing prospect of Russia backing out, my country now remains wary of our own commitment. This treaty would hamper our economic growth slightly and to see a large country like Russia be allowed to back out causes many in Beijing to raise some eyebrows."

"Well good news for you because Russia won't be backing out," Diana replied confidently.

"I beg your pardon?" Dimitri asked in amused disbelief.

"You won't be backing out," Diana reiterated. "Because if you do, I'll have the EU raise tariffs on your goods and natural gas."

"You don't have that kind of power," Dimitri denied. "You're only the ambassador of a tiny island filled with women."

"Amazons," Diana emphasized. "And I actually do. I've made plenty of friends in the European governments over the years. In fact, I've spent the last five years convincing some governments to not raise their tariffs against you as a gesture of good faith for the treaty. If you back out now, that good will be lost. I only have to make a few phone calls and your country will be more worried about others things than a few small sacrifices to help the environment."

Dimitri's face was red at that threat. It was clear he wasn't used to facing an aggressive woman with an ultimatum. In order to avoid giving him the opportunity to provide a rebuke, Diana shifted her glare towards Lang.

"And you can tell your country that Russia's support is still guaranteed."

"My country will need more than the simple assurance of an ambassador not representing Russia," Lang shot back.

"Well how about this for assurance? I know your country is trying to make a bid for the World Cup in 2026. The FIFA committee are good friends to my fiancée and myself. I'll assure you that I won't convince them to reject your request," Diana promised. Lang glared back at her.

"You two picked the wrong person to try to intimidate," Diana warned. "If either of you tries to sabotage this, I'll make sure both your countries will have a lot more to worry about than committing to the treaty."

"Are you threatening us?" Dimitri asked.

"I've fought aliens, monsters, and supervillains my whole life. You know what I'm capable of," Diana explained. "I'm willing to do what it takes to win. The question is are you two? Is your own masculine pride more important than your job security?"

"You still don't have Kasnia," Lang noted.

"Kasnia will be back onboard within the month," Diana vowed, even though even she didn't quite believe in that. "Worry about your own country and not others. Now if you'll excuse me gentlemen, I have some work to do."

Diana then pivoted on her hell and made her way to the other side of the building, leaving both dignitaries flustered and slightly embarrassed. Yet, neither of them noticed on the wall near the entrance remained a still functioning, tiny camera that someone had placed and hidden there a week and a half ago.

* * *

><p>"Thank you," Diana said as the waiter served her a Greek salad. Etta had convinced her to go out to lunch today. She had elected to choose a restaurant further uptown in Metropolis where she could eat her lunch in peace and incognito. Today had been already stressful for her. Not only did she had to play hardball with the Russian and Chinese ambassadors, but she found herself besieged by ambassadors from other countries as well. With Kasnia's absence and Vox's murder, even the ambassadors to countries that had Diana's back began to express their unease. If she couldn't get Dragovic to come back to the table or figure out Vox's murder soon, she'd find it harder to keep any support.<p>

"You alright Ma'am?" Etta asked as she ate her vegetarian meal.

"No," Diana admitted as she nibbled at her own salad. "It's been a stressful day."

"Well look at the bright side. All you've lost is Kasnia so far," Etta pointed out.

"But I can't keep everyone else supporting the treaty for long," Diana muttered ruefully. "Even the countries I thought would be with us to the end have hinted they may back out too."

"Reminds me of the time when my best friend stabbed me in the back when I was younger. Thought I could count on her but, you know how women are sometimes."

"These ambassadors aren't your average women getting catty over some petty drama," Diana dismissed. "These are politicians and full grown adults trying to take advantage of an issue to cover their own asses."

"Well then Ma'am, I guess it's up to you to show their a-er, behinds aren't covered at all. Especially when you're around."

Diana gave a half-smile at Etta's assurance.

"I did do that to Govich and Lang this morning. Should buy us some more time," Diana said as her eyes wandered the restaurant. Something had caught her gaze. A young woman at a nearby table had the newest copy of _Human Magazine_. Diana and Erik, sometimes together as a couple, had given the magazine plenty of interviews in the past. In fact, Diana and Erik had scheduled an interview about their engagement with the magazine last week. They had to cancel though due to the current crisis at the UN distracting Diana. Thus, Diana found herself surprised to see a picture of her face on the cover. However, Diana then realized what the tag line on the cover said:

_Wonder Woman: Promoter of Peace or Mastermind of Murder?_

Unintentionally, Diana felt her own fist clench in rage. She couldn't even go to lunch now and be away from this phony scandal?

"Uh Ma'am?" Etta noted nervously and pointed to a TV at the bar in the restaurant. The TV had displayed Godfrey on a talk show still raving about Wonder Woman. Did that man never stop talking? Did the studio give him even more airtime besides his usual early morning slot? Using her superhearing, Diana listened to Godfrey's latest raving on the bar TV screen. She didn't like what she heard.

"_Yes folks, we got another anonymous tip confirming Wonder Woman had visited the deceased Ambassador Vox's hotel. Now the U.S. government responded to our inquiries that Wonder Woman's presence at the hotel was justified because she had been assigned to investigate the murder on behalf of the Justice League. However, our recent tip stressed how Wonder Woman went to great lengths to conceal her movements at the hotel that day. For example, she allegedly lied to others at the hotel and claimed she came there that day to visit the French foreign minister while at the hotel. The French embassy hasn't gotten back to us yet, but it does raise the question, what was Wonder Woman really doing at that hotel and why did she feel the need to lie about it?"_

"Hera!" Diana snapped angrily. "Let's go!"

She pulled out some cash and placed it on the table as Etta quickly wolfed down the remnants of her meal to try to catch up. Diana had the temptation to complain to the manager to change the channel, but remembered she came to the restaurant to hide from the public eye. Bringing more attention to herself wouldn't be worth not having to see Godfrey's face as she ate. Thus, she chose the alternate route of leaving early. Her appetite had vanished anyways. Etta and she had managed to reach the streets when her phone rang.

"Hera what now?" Diana complained as she pulled out her cell phone without looking at the contact number. "Diana of Themyscira."

"_Don't need to be so formal,"_ Shayera responded.

"Shay, thank the gods!" Diana exclaimed.

"_Sounds like you're having a rough time if you're that glad to hear from me."_

"You have no idea," Diana replied.

"_Well then you're going to love this. I managed to find some information on the Flame and who they may have hired for their job. Can I come by your place this afternoon?"_

"Yes!" Diana said excitedly. "I'll be back around five or six! Help yourself in!"

At last it seemed like things were going her way again.

* * *

><p>"Please take a seat gentlemen," Godfrey offered. "It's not every day I'm graced by the presence of foreign dignitaries."<p>

"I'm not sure I should have come here," Perko, the Croatian ambassador of the UN, admitted nervously.

"I share the concerns of my friend here," Dimitri noted with crossed arms. "You seem to know a lot about the activities of the UN."

"I get anonymous tips," Godfrey beamed while showing his shiny teeth. About half of them were false.

"For instance," Godfrey added as he leaned forward in his desk. "Today, Ambassador Govich, you had an argument with the Themysciran ambassador along with the Chinese ambassador."

Govich's eyes lit up.

"Those talks are not your concern," Govich warned. "We were discussing issues with our country, not the press."

"Relax," Godfrey assured. "I didn't hear what you guys talked about, only the summary. My sources indicate whatever it was, the Amazon pretty much bullied you."

"That _сука_ didn't dominate me!" Dimitri complained.

"That's not what my sources tell me," Godfrey offered. "We're still trying to hear back from Ambassador Lang for comment."

"With all due respect," Perko chimed in. "I hardly see how that is relevant to me."

"Well I brought you here because your country has been one of her biggest supporters in getting this environmental treaty drafted."

"I'm not going to debate him," Perko said while jerking his thumb at Govich.

"You misunderstand me. I know, unlike Ambassador Govich's country, Croatia has been a full supporter from the get go. But my sources tell me that Croatia's support has waned over the last week due to recent events."

"I can't comment on the decisions of my country."

"But I keep receiving tips that you, like Ambassador Govich and many other ambassadors, have found yourself accosted or even threatened by the Amazon whenever you express doubt. You'd think she would show a little more loyalty and tolerance to her allies."

"I mean, I do disagree with her methods, but she has a lot of responsibility and-"

"Let me paint you a picture gentlemen," Godfrey cut in. "To the world, especially the general American public, Wonder Woman has become a symbol above repute. It used to be if you criticized her, you'd find yourself harassed and accused of bullying her by her followers."

Godfrey got up and walked behind his two guests. He placed both his hands on their shoulders.

"But that is ironic considering how thuggish and a bit of bully she is herself."

"Don't touch me," Dimitri warned.

Quickly Godfrey lifted his hands up.

"I've been watching her closely since she first arrived and I'll tell you, I was never impressed by her. She comes here with her elitist, femnazi attitude that somehow her people are superior and more peaceful than our world. And then she goes around dressing like a hooker and absolutely pulverizing people left and right. I'm not just talking about supervillains. I have plenty of video evidence of her losing her temper all the time in public. Does this hypocrisy not bother you?"

Perko shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"And I surmise based on her history and what I've heard along the grapevine, she continues that behavior in the UN," Godfrey stated.

"I don't think it's fair to describe it that-"

"Ambassador Perko," the host interrupted. "I know you're nervous in speaking out against her. You shouldn't feel guilty though. I'm merely a journalist looking for the truth."

"You call yourself a journalist," Dimitri mocked. "I researched you before coming over. Your TV show is what the Americans call crap television."

Godfrey twitched a little, but he kept his cool.

"Well this crap, unlike you, seems to be the only one man enough to go after Wonder Woman."

Govich's face changed color at that retort.

"She hurt you didn't she?" Godfrey taunted. "She made you feel like less of a man."

"You be careful," Dimitri warned. "My country makes sure journalists treat its government officials with respect."

"We aren't talking about your country, we are talking about Wonder Woman," Godfrey reminded as he sat back in his chair.

"I'm still not quite sure what you want from us," Perko admitted.

"Gentlemen. I've been investigating this story from the get go. However, the rest of the mainstream media seems determined to ignore it or bury me. I can't rely on anonymous tips because apparently the standard to question the behavior of Wonder Woman is much higher than any other person in the public spotlight."

"I know nothing about Vox's murder," Dimitri denied.

"But you do know Wonder Woman and what she really is like behind closed doors," Godfrey interjected. "The past few days, I've been trying to call a few dignitaries who I heard might not share the gilded image of that Amazon. You two are the first people to have responded back."

"So you need us," Dimitri noted. "Sorry, not interested."

"But why did you accept my offer to come here and hear me out then? Surely, deep down, you feel the truth about her should be told."

The Russian ambassador remained silent and crossed his arms. Godfrey grinned and looked at Perko, who still remained uncertain.

"I know I'm asking a lot from you, but the public needs to know the truth," Godfrey pointed out.

"I will admit I don't always find her behavior to be the most professional and I don't appreciate how she's dismissed my concerns whenever I bring them up, but I don't believe she killed Vox."

"But do you think it's possible Perko?" Godfrey inquired. "Can you look me in the eyes and tell me with a straight face that she isn't capable of losing her temper? Also how do you explain her getting caught at Vox's hotel room trying to tamper with the evidence?"

Perko couldn't respond to that.

"Even if you don't think she's a murderer, you just admitted she hasn't been giving you the respect you deserve. Maybe by coming on my show, you can get her attention finally."

Both guests continued to remain seated while listening to Godfrey.

"If you two have the courage to come on my show and tell the truth, I promise more will come. All it takes is for one voice to stand up to unleash the thousands. It's time we held Wonder Woman accountable for her behavior."

The talk show host let his two guests sit silently and mull his pitch over. Dimitri looked at Godfrey with distrust as Perko remained indecisive.

"Fine," Dimitri finally agreed. "It's time she learned what happens when you disrespect me and my country."

"Glad to have you onboard," Godfrey said.

"I don't know," Perko replied nervously. "She-"

"Bullied you and your country Perko. Don't act like she's given you anything," Dimitri countered. "Be a man and join me."

"Ambassador Govich is right," Godfrey argued. "She's hardly the upstanding citizen she pretends to be. It's time the people know the real Wonder Woman."

Perko looked back and forth between the two men before clearing his throat and nodding.

"V-very well," he acquiesced. "But I want it made clear that I'm not going to accuse her of murder. I'll criticize her behavior, but I won't blame her for killing Vox."

"Excellent!" Godfrey proclaimed excitedly. "I can have the studio put my show prime time tonight. You're doing a great thing today gentlemen. It's time the world hears the story from the horse's mouth!"

* * *

><p>"So get this," Shayera explained to Diana as the two friends sat at a table in the embassy's apartment. "This whole Crimson Flame isn't just a ghost story. It's like on the level of the Knights of the Templar."<p>

"How so?"

Shayera pulled out some documents and handed them to Diana.

"Apparently when the Ottoman Empire occupied what is now Kasnia, there was a small minority population called the Sacrians. They originate from a migrant population of the Middle East that practiced Zoroastrianism. They've lived in the Kasnia area since the Middle Ages."

"I'm aware of the Sacrians," Diana pointed out. "They suffered a lot lately in Kasnia, especially during the last conflict."

"Oh they're hardly victims if you look how they were in the past. The Sacrians became the Turks' muscle in the area. You know like the Cossacks for the Russians? They often helped stifle rebellions against the Turkish rule."

Diana looked over the notes Shayera had collected and wondered how Shayera was able to get so much information in a short time span.

"The Crimson Flame became the _de facto_ lead organization for Sacrian agents operating in the Kasnian lands. It has a bloody history of fighting Kasnian nobles whenever they tried to oppose Ottoman hegemony. Fire was the organization's specialty as a weapon."

The current file Diana had in her hand showed an artist's depiction of what looked like a man torturing a prisoner with fire.

"And they've been around ever since?"

"Not exactly," Shayera added. "According to the professor I interviewed, the Crimson Flame died out in the beginning of the twentieth century when many Sacrians switched sides and joined Kasnian nationalism against Turkish rule."

"And yet many in the Kasnian populace rewarded them by treating them as second class citizens," Diana noted with disgust.

"Hey, if you had a population with a history of helping your conquerors, you'd probably be a little peeved too."

Frowning, Diana continued to look at the research Shayera had collected. The Amazon began to suspect the motive behind Vox's murder.

"How come I haven't heard much about this?" Diana asked.

"It's not a popular research topic in Kasnia, nor in history in general. The professor said it's really hard to find any records on the Crimson Flame due to lack of study on the Sacrians. For the most part, it seems the Crimson Flame to most Kasnians is just an urban legend."

"An urban legend would be a good moniker to hide behind," Diana theorized. "I think I know what happened. Vox during the last Kasnian Civil War and before that had a history of being outspoken against minority rights, especially for the Sacrian people. I do remember there was plenty of evidence that he spearheaded the unjust arrests of many Sacrians on the pretense of treason. A lot of those Sacrians were sent to the death camps that had appeared during the Kasnian Civil War."

"And maybe some of these Sacrians survived and decided to take out Vox for revenge. I was thinking the exact same thing. They probably thought it'd be cool too to adopt the Crimson Flame identity as if harkening back to their roots."

"Yes. It's clear that Vox wasn't killed over the treaty, but rather something he did in the past. Unfortunately, I think Dragovic suspects this deep down as well. I'm going to need more than information to try to get him back on my good side. The best way to do that is catch these people behind Vox's murder. You said you had some suspects who may have committed the assassination?"

"Yep," Shayera replied smugly. "I had to get this information by a less boring means."

The Thanagarian reached down and opened the file.

"Biggest thing I looked at was the fact that the assassin seemed to favor the use of a sword. It did narrow it down, but not much."

"How many names do you have?"

"About fifty," Shayera admitted darkly. That made Diana groan inwardly.

"I picked my own top five though after looking at all fifty names carefully," Shayera offered. "I could be wrong, but based on what I've researched, I'm pretty confident one of these five names is the man or woman we're looking for."

Quickly, Diana grabbed the file from Shayera's hand and read the names out loud.

"Azrael…Katana…Shiva…Deathstroke…Raatko?"

"Katana, Shiva, and Raatko operate usually in Asia from what I gathered. Shiva's also usually big on martial arts over weapons, but she has used swords in the past when making a statement."

"And what of this Azrael person?"

"He's crazy from what I've gathered. Apparently he thinks he's the incarnation of the Angel of Vengeance or something like that. Usually dresses up like he's from the Medieval Times."

Looking over the profiles, Diana understood why Shayera had a hard time probably narrowing them down below five. Any one of them could've been hired by the organization that had called itself the Flame.

"Deathstroke?" Diana whispered as if the odd name called to her. "What's his story?"

Shayera shrugged.

"From the sound of it, your cliché failed soldier experiment. Apparently it enhanced his abilities. There's no record of his past. If he was part of a military or private company experiment, they probably covered it up. Only thing known about that guy is he's pretty good at killing people."

"Do you think he's the assassin?"

"Possibly," Shayera shrugged. "However, it could also be Katanna or Azrael because they, like Deathstroke, are known to cut the tendons on their targets sometimes. I'd like to get a chance to see the full autopsy report on Vox."

"I asked that and Faraday gave me an excuse. He'll give it up eventually though."

"One more thing before I forget," Shayera added. "I also did some digging and found some transaction records between Vox and those rolodex names you were curious about. It might not be helpful at all, but still thought it was worth a lead. It's also possible that maybe one of Vox's donors may've had a hand in his death."

"What did you find?"

"Usual transactions you'd expect between politics and corporations. It is very interesting how magically a lot of these elites made a ton of money after Vox became an ambassador."

"Well they helped Dragovic's rise to the presidency as well as Vox's campaign to become ambassador of the UN," Diana reminded. "They probably only cared about supporting whoever was in power to protect their interests."

"Maybe they could also be telling Dragovic to stop the treaty and he used the Crimson Flame threat as a pretense to back out. Would explain why he didn't want to talk to Faraday about the Flame."

"That is possible," Diana acknowledged. "Dragovic did indicate he faced pressure from some special interests in his country to not sponsor the treaty. However, he was all for it until the other week. I'm positive the Crimson Flame threat is what made him back out."

"Nonetheless, I brought a record of some transactions in case you wanted to take a peek."

"Thank you Shayera, I'll look over those later," Diana assured. "However, I want to do some more digging on this Sacrian vengeance angle. Do you think you can possibly narrow the list down even further once King gives us the autopsy report?"

Before Shayera could give her response, Diana's cell phone buzzed. Grabbing it, she realized it was her reporter friend calling her.

"Lois?" Diana asked out loud. "What does she want?"

Shayera shrugged her shoulders. Curiously, Diana answered her phone.

"Hey Lois, if this is-"

"_Turn on Godfrey's show right now!"_ Lois shouted. _"He has a prime time special!"_

"What did he do now?" Diana groaned.

"_This is different,"_ Lois promised. _"He brought in the big guns. It's trending now on social media and even Perry called to ask Clark and me about this!"_

Feeling apprehensive, Diana turned the television on and changed it to Godfrey's channel. She realized Godfrey wasn't alone and blabbing to himself this time. He was conducting an interview with two guests.

"Dimitri?" Diana said in disbelief when she realized the Russian dignitary was on the show. She also quickly recognized the Croatian ambassador, Perko, on there as well.

"Uh-oh," Shayera muttered out loud.

"_So that isn't the first time she had threaten you?"_ Godfrey asked.

"_No-I mean, she didn't exactly threaten me directly-"_ Perko tried to explain.

"_So she did it indirectly,"_ Godfrey finished.

"_No you got it wrong-_

"_If I may speak,"_ Dimitri chimed in. _"Ambassador Wonder Woman has a special skill in finding ways of making implied threats to plenty of dignitaries."_

"_And as you told me before we went on air, she made a threat to you as well."_

Dimitri nodded and looked at the camera directly. Diana could see a flash of smug satisfaction before his face turned into a more humble and nervous appearance.

"He's full of it!" Diana complained angrily.

"_She threatened to destroy my country's economy simply because I expressed concerns about the treaty's vitality."_

"_You're kidding,"_ Godfrey added while looking like he had just heard the news.

"That's a lie!" Diana shouted. "It was an empty threat!"

"Diana," Shayera warned.

"_Well thank you for having the courage to come on my show and help illuminate the truth about Wonder Woman. Now let me ask you one more question and we'll take a break. Do you think Wonder Woman would react violently if an ambassador got in her way and got his country to be pulled out of her environmental treaty?"_

"_I mean she called the entire UN to go invade Kasnia and dispose the monarchy because she didn't like how things took place over there,"_ Dimitri explained. _"If she's willing to go invade a country over something she doesn't like, I believe she is capable of doing anything if she doesn't get her way."_

"You supported my motion to invade you hypocrite!" Diana yelled at the screen as her face flushed red.

"_I-uh, am not at liberty to speculate,"_ Perko reminded the host. _"I just want to point out that she has not conducted herself-"_

"_But didn't you personally see her get in a very heated argument with the now late ambassador Vox the day before he died?"_

"_Yes but-"_

"_Can you, as an eyewitness, tell me what she said?"_

Perko looked uncomfortable and Diana could see he was sweating.

"_Tell us the truth Perko," _Godfrey challenged. _"You can't keep defending her behavior if you're not honest with us. What did she say to Vox?"_

"_She said, 'I'm done with this. I'm not going to take this from you anymore,'" _Perko admitted reluctantly.

"He took that out of context!" Diana screamed in frustration and looked back at Shayera. "You believe me?"

"Of course I do," Shayera explained. "And I'm pretty sure most of the world still believes you over Godfrey. Problem is, you've given him more fuel for the fire. This story isn't going to go away now."

"_Before we go to the break, I just want to replay this video to the folks back home still doubting my guests' claims,"_ Godfrey offered. The newsfeed changed to a video camera replaying an event Diana had almost forgotten about. It was over ten years ago. The replay was when she had lost her temper at some bank robbers on her day off. While even she would admit she didn't behave professionally that day, she didn't think that remained a big deal. Now Godfrey had exploited the incident and presented it as if it had just happened.

"Hera, I can't watch this anymore," Diana muttered. She turned off the TV and turned her back to it.

"Are you okay?"

"No," Diana admitted. "I tried my best to not let Godfrey get to me and that failed. And now he's found an even dirtier way to harass me. How did he get those two on his show?"

"Relax Di," Shayera said in an attempt to comfort her. "Even if other media outlets pick it up, eventually they'll realize you had nothing to do with the murder. I mean, you're investigating Vox's death yourself. In a few months, everything will be back to normal. I just recommend you probably don't watch the news for a while. You won't be a pariah to the media for as long as I was though. My kids still get in fights with brats at school who call me a traitor"

"That's not what I'm worried about," Diana shot back. "I could care less if the media plays Godfrey's game for a while. I'm worried how this will affect everything else."

As if on cue, Diana's phone rang again. She realized it was Etta calling. Not that she didn't expect a call from Etta, but she did wish she hadn't received it, especially when she already had a feeling what the call was about.

"Etta," Diana said in the phone. "Please tell me some good news!"

"_Afraid not Ma'am,"_ Etta replied guiltily. _"Ambassador Lang just called. He said China is now backing out."_

"He thinks I'll have no leverage now because of this," Diana noted. "Call him back and tell him-"

"_That's not all Ma'am. Brazil and South Africa called and they're backing out as well."_

"What?" Diana asked in disbelief. "South Africa has been one of our biggest sponsors. If they leave, the whole thing comes undone!"

"_I know Ma'am,"_ Etta cried back. _"I tried pointing that out, but the South African ambassador said his country doesn't want to be attached to any controversy-"_

"Controversy? If it's because of Godfrey, tell him not to worry about it! I can take my name off the treaty if they want me to and I'll work on it behind the scenes!"

"_Ma'am I just received another call. It's India and they don't sound too pleased right now."_

"Talk to them. Keep them at the table. I don't care if you have to beg, plead, or borrow. Just keep them with us!"

"_I'll try Ma'am…"_ Etta cried weakly and hung up. The Amazon then grabbed her chair and felt her hands tense over it. She felt herself with little effort slightly crushing it as her restrained strength slowly rose. She let out a loud sigh and then threw the chair against the wall. It crashed the wall and made a dent in it. Shayera didn't flinch at all, but she stared back at the Amazon with concern in her green eyes.

"Diana are you-"

"I'm fine," Diana assured in an oddly cold voice that contrasted the rage she had just displayed.

"If you need-"

"I have to do this myself," Diana cut her off. "I'm sorry Shayera, but I need you to leave. I have a lot of calls to make. My treaty is now on life support and all because of an idiot like Godfrey."

* * *

><p>"No, this can't wait. Please, I need to speak with him. Well can I least schedule a teleconference call? Well, thanks anyways."<p>

Diana slammed the phone down and gave an exasperated sigh. She had spent all night trying to call not only the detractors of her treaty but her supporters as well. It seemed for the sake of political expediency, all the ambassadors wanted to have their countries back out. So far, Diana had counted ten countries out of the loop. She had managed to convince six countries that wanted to back out to give her some more time. As for her supporters, she only managed to make contact with a few of them. A lot of them, like the last embassy she called, didn't want to talk to her. It seemed the rest of the UN ambassadors were on the fence now or they made a decision, but they didn't possess the courage to tell it to her face. Tired and stressed, Diana buried her face in her hands and let out a restrained, frustrated scream.

If she could, she would storm every embassy herself and talk to each ambassador face to face. However, not only would that take too long, it would look even worse on her part and give people like Godfrey more cause to criticize her. She hated this feeling. No matter what she did, it could be misconstrued as an attack on her character. It reminded her of CADMUS, but worst. It seemed like no one wanted to talk to her, let alone respect her as an ambassador. Not to mention it hurt her more due to the personal nature of Godfrey's attacks. That was a low blow on Godfrey's part.

Diana debated on whether to try to call Ambassador Lang's office when she heard the soft, cautious steps of someone behind her. Quickly, Diana turned around to see Anya, wearing the pajamas Diana and Erik had given her. She looked like she was unsure whether she should enter the threshold of the room.

"It's okay," Diana gestured. "Come here."

Anya gently stepped forward to Diana. Immediately Diana grabbed her and sat her on the lap.

"I don't know," she muttered. "The whole world's gone upside down."

She kissed Anya on the forehead and grabbed her phone. A part of her wanted to make another call to Dragovic to see if he would finally talk to her. If she just had five minutes with him, she could convince him to stay on her team. But honestly, she knew it was a long shot and wasn't in the mood for more disappointment. He would ignore her like all the others. She thought about the possibility of asking Superman to work on her behalf. With the Man of Steel on her side, people would be more receptive. Unfortunately, Superman never liked to get involved in politics. Feeling helpless at her predicament, Diana continue to cradle Anya until to her surprise, she heard a door unlocked. Turning around, she saw Erik standing there with a worried look on his face.

"Erik!" Diana gasped in surprise and relief. "You aren't supposed to be back until tomorrow."

"Cancelled my plans," Erik explained quickly and rushed over to her. "I immediately flew back the minute I heard about what Godfrey did."

As an Amazon, Diana's pride usually would balk at the idea that she needed a man to help comfort her, but at this point, she didn't really care. Still carrying Anya in one arm, she got up and met him halfway. Her fiancée placed his arms around her and she let out a deep breath. A few tears fell down her face as he held her tight.

"Thank you," she whispered softly.

"You know I'm here for you," he promised. The couple remained close to each other with Anya in Diana's arms until finally, Erik spoke again.

"I figured it would start getting bad because some of the other news stations picked up on it."

"Lois called and told me even the _Planet's_ finally taking interest in the story," Diana added on.

"The paparazzi's also taking the bait as well," Erik explained darkly. "They started asking me about you and Vox's murder when they ambushed me at the airport."

"Erik, I'm so sorry," Diana apologized upon immediately realizing that as much as this recent negative press affected her, it probably affected Erik too.

"Why are you apologizing?" Erik asked. "Godfrey's the one who did this, not you."

"But that doesn't justify you getting dragged down with me," Diana pointed out. "You don't deserve to be harassed by the media for my mistakes."

"We're engaged," Erik reminded. "I'm with you to the end, for better or worse."

Diana felt an overwhelming sense of relief and she quietly hugged Erik again. In the meantime with one of his hands, Erik began to rub her lower back.

"Besides, it's not your fault. It's the media's fault. Hacks like Godfrey make a living causing trouble like this."

"I don't know," Diana admitted darkly. "I think there's something else amiss."

"What do you mean?"

Diana broke away from Erik to place Anya in his arms.

"I can't explain it," she admitted. "But I just sense something else is going on. It's as if Vox's assassination, the Crimson Flame threats, and the attacks on my reputation are all connected. I feel like there's maybe someone else out there who wants to destroy me. How did Godfrey get all his information anyways? It's silly I know, and maybe I'm just being paranoid, but what if someone or something is out there using this to target me?"

"It's just the media," Erik dismissed. "Don't worry. No one's trying to get you except douchebags like Godfrey who are desperate to bring someone down. In a few months, this smear campaign will die down and you'll be vindicated."

"Problem is I don't have a few months," Diana noted cynically. "My treaty will be in ruins if I can't come up with a miracle."

"What are you're going to do?"

"I'm an Amazon," Diana stated. "I do what my people do best; take the fight to the enemy. I'm going to have to confront Godfrey myself."

"What?" Erik asked in disbelief. "You can't!"

"I have to," Diana countered. "The longer I let him attack me without giving a response, the stronger the story becomes. He's used to not having his targets take the fight to him."

"But if you confront him personally, you'll just legitimize him," Erik warned.

"No I won't. If I do an interview with him and put him in his place, the public will see how much of a liar he is."

"Godfrey's not a pushover nor an idiot," Erik reminded. "It's too risky to try to give a one-on-one interview with him. He probably wants you to do that."

"It's the only way," Diana said with finality. "If I have any hope of salvaging my reputation to prevent this treaty from collapsing, I'll have to take the fight to Godfrey."

* * *

><p><em>Gotham<em>

Staring at the Batcomputer, Bruce looked over various news stations. While he never paid attention to the news anymore, he always scanned the channels once in a while to see if something could be related to his work in Gotham. He was about to turn off the news broadcasts to begin his other item on his agenda for the night, when something caught his eye. He realized it was Snapper Carr giving a report on his nightly broadcast. There was a picture of a female woman with raven black hair and sharp blue eyes in the screen behind Carr's head.

"_We just received an interesting report about Wonder Woman and the UN-"_

Angry, Bruce turned the broadcast off. He didn't care what the League or she did with their meddling attitudes with the UN. He had more important work to worry about anyways. Sitting in the chair still, Bruce slid the brace onto his knee. Immediately it clenched tightly and it made him wince in pain. The brace itself did not heal the pain in his thigh from where the Joker stabbed him years ago, but it helped mitigate it by giving more support to his knee. Due to his knees slowly degrading over the years, Bruce needed to rely on his upper leg muscles to provide counter support for them. However, since he injured his one thigh badly, that knee couldn't get the muscular support it needed and thus Bruce had to wear a custom designed brace whenever he went active. It never stopped the pain, but it made it manageable.

Getting up and still carrying his cane, Bruce slowly walked to the training matt he and Stephanie would work out on. Despite age and his addictions taking their toll on him, Bruce always made it a point to get a good exercise in every day to keep his muscles intact. Even with a suit like the Iron Giant, Bruce still needed to be in reasonable shape to support the heavy structure. Usually, Bruce opted to exercise in the morning so to get out of the way and let himself have the rest of the day to either drink or get ready for patrol that night. But today, he had decided to exercise while Stephanie was out on patrol because he didn't want her to be around to see what he was doing this time. Nor did he want her to figure out that the previous week, he had a mild heart attack on the job.

Absentmindedly, Bruce felt his chest to find the EKG and heart rate monitors were still firmly attached on his body to read his heart rate functions. The heart attack he had on patrol ten days ago had alarmed him. He couldn't tell if it was the suit itself causing it or if he had finally reached the point in his life when his body had called it quits. The last ten days he had recovered from it to prepare to run a test to see what caused the episode. In the meantime, Stephanie remained blissfully unaware that Bruce suffered from a heart attack the last time they patrolled together. Bruce had managed to convince her he had just became light headed from taking too many pills before patrol.

Reaching the center of the training mat, Bruce felt his leg shaking slightly. He knew it was all in his head. For the entire day, he had forced himself to not take a narcotic or one sip of alcohol because he didn't want to tamper the test results. Despite his willpower, it didn't make it easy for his body that ached for the numb feelings the drugs promised. But Bruce needed to know the truth about his heart. Standing at the center still, Bruce closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He dropped his cane with finality and immediately opened his eyes as if his focus had been refined. Discarding his robe to show off his scarred, but still muscled physique, Bruce lunged at a dummy.

Immediately Bruce unleashed a set of body blows on the dummy. He then aimed a well-placed kick at the center of mass and jumped to the next dummy to spar. This time the dummy would rotate to mimic a foe trying to counter punch Bruce. Bruce managed to get all his aimed attacks on the dummy and only receive one tap in response. Feeling dissatisfied, Bruce then hurried over to the weights. Lying down on the bench, he grabbed the bar and began to knock out a quick set. With short and controlled breaths, he finished the set and then hurried over to his next target.

For an hour Bruce went nonstop from lifting to running, from shadowboxing to hitting targets, from throwing his battarangs to knocking out a hundred pull ups. The entire exercise exhausted Bruce, but he kept going. His body began to ache all over and not just in the leg. Even though his workouts were always intense, he wanted to push himself further on this one. It also didn't make it easier that he hadn't taken his pills for twenty-four hours. Every time he felt the temptation to give into fatigue, he just thought of something that made him angry; a masked face in orange and black.

Finally, Bruce did his last pull up and stopped. Feeling ragged and out of breath, he looked at the watch and to his disappointment, found himself slower than he was the last time he went all out on a workout like that. The older he had gotten, the slower his body had become. He couldn't rely on speed and reflexes anymore and just had to try to maintain his strength as much as he could. Feeling disappointed at his whole time and disgusted with the amount of sweat over his body, Bruce picked up his cane and hobbled back over to the Batcomputer. First thing he did was grab a prescription bottle of pills and downed four of them. He took a seat in the chair and sat there silently for a solid ten minutes to wait and start feeling the effects of the narcotic. For a second Bruce, never wanted to leave the chair as he felt his sore body slowly go numb to the painkillers.

Feeling more relaxed, he then slowly slid off the brace as he looked at the monitor to see the readouts from his test. After examining the results for a minute, Bruce felt a little relief. Although his heart did show unhealthy spikes in the results, it didn't indicate that it was ready to give out yet. So it was the suit, not his body that had caused his heart to fail last time. Yet, the good news didn't change the fact that his heart and the rest of his body couldn't remain indestructible forever. How many years did he have left? One or two? Maybe five if he pushed his luck? Bruce grabbed a tape recorder to leave a vocal note of his findings.

"The date is early in the morning, January 13, 2018. Batwoman has not come back from patrol yet and I've completed the test. My theory has been proven correct. While the readouts show signs that my heart has taken a lot of strain and is not as healthy as it once was, it is clear that the current suit was the cause for the incident last week. Due to this finding, I have resolved to not use that suit anymore for it's not worth the risk."

Bruce then pushed a button and could hear the sound of something hissing. He turned around to see a canister rising from a secret compartment on the floor in the Batcave. With his cane as support, Bruce weakly walked over to the canister to examine the contents. It was another Batsuit, but sleeker than his previous ones. It was all black saved for a sharp looking red bat logo on the chest. It also didn't have a cape. Shifting a lot of his company's money around in secret, Bruce had spent a lot of time and money to develop this advanced Batsuit over the last three years. It was probably the greatest technological achievement Wayne Enterprises had created in the last fifty years, even though it was completely off the books.

"However, the next suit model should be ready once I finish the tests. I still need to check out Dr. Corso's servomotors as well. Positive estimates indicate the suit will be ready in two months at best. In the meantime, Batwoman will have to patrol Gotham on her own."

* * *

><p><em>South America-2009<em>

"_It's empty," Nightwing noted as he and Batman explored the mine. "Looks like they cleared out yesterday."_

_Batman ignored him and headed over to something that seemed out of place to him. Deeper into the mine looked like a large, bottomless pit. Pulling a detector from his belt, he scanned the areal._

"_Do you think they knew we were coming?" Nightwing asked. "What do you think they were looking for?"_

"_A Lazarus Pit," Batman explained as the detector beeped, indicating his hypothesis was correct. "Or at least, this crater used to hold one until it was emptied._

"_Lazarus Pit?" Nightwing asked. "Doesn't Ra's usually keep those intact? Why would he drain it? More importantly, how did he drain it?"_

"_I don't know, but I'm going to find out. We're going to look for other mines that have been bought out by one of his shell companies. He's doing something with the pits and I need to find out."_

"_**I'm afraid you're a little too late,"**__ a menacing voice echoed._

_Batman and Nightwing jerked up as a figure calmly stepped into the light._

"_Deathstroke," Batman muttered angrily._

"_**Took you long enough to discover these mines,"**__ Deathstroke taunted. __**"Although sadly, this was the last one. Ra's has everything he needs now. I just stuck around to see if you'd finally figure it out."**_

"_Why does Ra's need to extract the liquid?" Nightwing demanded._

_Deathstroke casted his gaze towards Nightwing as if he just realized he was there._

"_**Saw you brought your ward,"**__ Deathstroke noted in disgust. __**"Didn't know it was take your kid to work today."**_

"_Kid?" Nightwing shot back. "I was the one who located this mine in the first place."_

"_Nightwing," Batman warned. "He's trying to antagonize you."_

"_**Not going to lie Bruce, bringing Dickie boy over here kind of ruins the vibe. I thought you and me had this nice rivalry thing going on. I mean, the kid couldn't even be a good Robin to begin with."**_

"_That's it!" Nightwing snapped and charged at Deathstroke._

"_Nightwing wait!"_

_Nightwing jumped in and threw a punch at Deathstroke who side stepped it. Doing a backflip, Nightwing found himself facing the assassin and threw in two punches. Deathstroke retaliated with a kick that elicited a grunt from the young vigilante and jumped further back._

"_Nightwing we take him together," Batman said as he ran up next to his partner._

"_**Together? I thought it was just going to be you and me?"**__ Deathstroke responded. __**"Fine then, time to even up the odds."**_

_Deathstroke pulled out something behind him, which immediately extended to a bo staff. He twirled it effortlessly like a baton as if to show off, before gesturing Batman to come at him. Nightwing struck first however. Not even hesitating, Deathstroke countered the attack with a blow to Nightwing's chest. Coughing, Nightwing fell back as Deathstroke brought the other end of the staff towards Batman who ducked it. Batman then leaped in the air and kicked Deathstroke in the armor. Deflecting Batman back with the staff, Deathstroke took a step back. Nightwing responded with a counter punch that Deathstroke barely dodged. Immediately, the fight turned defensive for the assassin as the two vigilantes continued their assault. For every attack Batman would throw, Nightwing would be ready to respond. Yet, oddly enough, Deathstroke didn't show any concern at all._

"_**You both are good,"**__ Deathstroke noted. __**"I might have to pay attention in this fight."**_

_Nightwing leaned back to dodge a swing of the staff as Batman flipped forward to bring down his hands on Deathstroke. The assassin barely managed to avoid the blow. However, before Batman could recover, Deathstroke managed to nick Batman in the side. Batman grunted and stepped back to recover, leaving Nightwing to spar the assassin himself._

"_**I know everything about you, Dick,"**__ Deathstroke taunted. __**"And honestly, I find you more pathetic than him."**_

"_You don't know me," Nightwing dismissed as he strained to continue to block Deathstroke's blows._

"_**A kid who lost his parents and so desperately needed a father figure, so you tried to emulate the Batman. How do you think Daddy Grayson would react to learn his only son threw his life away to be a wannabe vigilante?"**_

"_You're going down," Nightwing warned. Batman meanwhile had recovered and was about to engage Deathstroke again._

"_**Then again the circus life doesn't pay that much so I guess he wouldn't have any shame left to lose. Did your mother have to pimp herself out to the freak section once in a while to make a few extra dollars?"**_

"_Shut up!" Nightwing snapped and he went on an aggressive offense._

"_Nightwing no!" Batman warned. But it was too late. Nightwing in his aggression, tried to attack Deathstroke head on and had let down his guard. Although Nightwing managed to get a few decent hits on Deathstroke, the assassin easily brought up his bo staff and blindsided Nightwing right in the head._

"_Arrrghh!" Nightwing groaned in pain and surprise. Deathstroke then took another swing and Nightwing flew to the side, skidding to the ground before he stopped. Looking pleased with himself, Deathstroke turned around to face Batman with his brown eyes tinted in yellow._

"_**Don't worry, he'll wake up soon and be perfectly fine, barring a massive headache. And now since that annoying problem is taken care of, it's just you and me again."**_

_Deathstroke swung low at Batman as he barely jumped in the air in time to avoid it. The Dark Knight returned the favor and aimed a punch at Deathstroke, but the assassin pulled up his forearm and deflected it with the armor. Not discouraged, Batman repeated his assault, this time feigning for the body but hitting the assassin in the head. Surprised, Deathstroke wobbled back and rubbed his masked face._

"_**That would usually leave a bruise if I didn't heal so fast,"**__ he shot back._

"_Good, I'll feel less bad about hurting you more," Batman quipped. Going for another bout, Deathstroke swung the staff. Batman leaned back to avoid it, just as his opponent quickly brought it back down on him. Jumping to the side to avoid the blow, Batman barely had time to recollect himself to see Deathstroke swinging back at him. Relying on his agility, Batman did a reverse handspring, avoiding the latest blow by inches. Landing close to Deathstroke, the vigilante caught the assassin off guard and delivered a cross punch. The fist made contact, but not a direct hit because Deathstroke managed to move out of the way slightly._

_He made to respond with another hit with his bo staff, but Batman had studied his movements and prepared himself. As Deathstroke brought the staff up again, Batman caught the end of it and gripped tight. Grunting, Deathstroke tried to shake Batman off by moving the other side of the staff, but Batman had already grabbed the other end as well. In a battle of wills, the two foes locked eyes with each other and growled as they tried to wrestle for dominance over the staff. Just when it looked like Deathstroke had the edge, Batman suddenly let go and jumped out of the way. It was too late for Deathstroke and without Batman resisting his strength, he tripped forward and became off-balance. Taking full advantage of the opening he had created, Batman jumped at his enemy and began to beat him._

_Despite the surprise onslaught, Deathstroke still managed to block a couple of Batman's blows. But, he still remained disoriented for the most of the time due to Batman gaining the upper hand and catching him off guard. In an attempt to stop Batman's onslaught, the assassin swung his staff forward blindly. Batman caught and before Deathstroke could respond, pulled it out of his hands. With a smug smile of defiance, Batman snapped the staff on his knee, creating a loud cracking sound._

"_**You want to dance? We'll dance,"**__ Deathstroke offered and he jumped at the Dark Knight. Now it was the assassin's turn to unleash his offensive attack. Due to Deathstroke's slightly superior reflexes, Batman found himself keeping up his armored gauntlets to cover his face. Sparks flew occasionally as Deathstroke's metal gloves made contact with Batman's gauntlets. Slowly, Batman found himself backing up as Deathstroke continued to try break through the barrier Batman had covering his face. As Batman found himself almost backing into the empty pit, he realized he needed to change his strategy fast._

_Suddenly flopping to his back, Batman tossed a smoke pellet from his belt as he fell to the ground right at Deathstroke's face. The pellet exploded and engulfed Deathstroke's head in a cloud of smoke. Startled, Deathstroke began to cough and stumble blindly. Seizing the opportunity, Batman jumped to his feet and gave his final assault. Rapidly punching Deathstroke in the chest, the assassin could do nothing but groan and gasp as Batman unleashed a relentless series of blows. He then quickly responded with an upward punch to Deathstroke's chin, forcing his head upward. To finish the fight, Batman then jumped up and brought another downward punch on the stunned Deathstroke. He crumpled to the ground with a groan. Feeling satisfied, Batman placed a foot on his defeated opponent._

"_**I'll admit…you brought your 'A-game' this time,"**__ Deathstroke complimented._

"_That's strike one for you," Batman shot back._

"_**Oh no, no, no, no, no,"**__ Deathstroke warned. __**"Fight's not over yet."**_

"_It's over," Batman affirmed._

"_**It's over when I say it is,"**__ Deathstroke shot back and with a sudden second wind, he got to his feet and knocked Batman off balance. Batman got ready to respond again, but Deathstroke aimed a well place kick at a spot on his leg. The kick struck the exact same spot Joker had stabbed him a year and a half ago._

"_ARGGGGHHH!" Batman yelled in surprise. The pain in his leg had increased sharply. It felt just as bad, if not worse, the night the Joker had stabbed it. Against his conscious will, Batman on reaction clutched his leg which began to spasm, leaving himself unblocked. Deathstroke took full advantage of that and pushed Batman down with a kick. Before he knew it, Batman found a sword lying on his neck as Deathstroke stood over him. While his face was still hidden by the mask, Batman could tell by his two eyes he was smirking underneath it. The assassin then leaned over to indicate he was about to tell Batman something._

* * *

><p><em>Groaning, Nightwing felt a ringing in his ear that made his head hurt and nauseous at the same time. Forcing his eyes open, he just saw a blur of images. Closing them again and trying to summon the will to ignore the fact his head felt like it got hit by an anvil, he weakly stood up. He opened his eyes again and looked around. Immediately he remembered what had happened. He was fighting Deathstroke! Hearing a scream of pain, he turned around. To Nightwing's shock, Deathstroke had just gotten the upper hand on Batman, who was clutching his leg in pain.<em>

_Nightwing froze at the sight before him. Batman never showed himself to be visibly in pain. Usually he tried to suck it up and act like he didn't feel anything. Rarely had Nightwing see his mentor crumble like that. So stunned by this unfamiliar site, Nightwing didn't react when Deathstroke placed a sword on his neck. Nor did he move when Deathstroke leaned down as if to whisper something to Batman. At that moment, Nightwing seemed to found the life in him again and began charging at the enemy._

"_Hey!" Nightwing shouted as he got ready to throw some projectiles at the assassin. Deathstroke stood up and turned around to look at Nightwing._

"_**Playtime's over,"**__ Deathstroke dismissed and he pulled out what looked like a grenade. Nightwing stopped in his tracks at that sight. Was Deathstroke crazy enough to detonate a grenade to win a fight?_

"_**I'll see you around,"**__ Deathstroke promised before looking back down at Batman. __**"That's strike two, Bruce."**_

_Deathstroke then pulled the pin. Immediately, a thick cloud of smoke emerged from the canister and enveloped him. Cursing himself for hesitating over a smoke grenade, Nightwing rushed over into the cloud of smoke and lunged at where he thought Deathstroke was. Unfortunately, all of Nightwing's efforts were in vain for he made contact with just empty air. Quickly, he turned around and tried to determine if he could locate his target, but it was useless. The smoke was too thick and Nightwing couldn't hold back the urge to cough anymore as his eyes watered. Giving into biological needs, Nightwing coughed as the smoke slowly dispersed. By the time Nightwing had managed to compose himself again, the smoke had vanished along with Deathstroke._

"_Dammit," Nightwing muttered. "We had him."_

_Batman gave no response and continued to remain on the ground._

"_Look Bruce, I know I messed up, but I promise you it won't happen again," Nightwing assured. When the vigilante still didn't receive a response from his mentor, he looked back down at Batman in concern. Batman was still fully conscious and it seemed he had gotten over the pain for the time being or he had forgotten about it. However, Batman's face disturbed Nightwing greatly. Usually when outsmarted by an opponent, Batman would have an annoyed scowl or a slight glare, but this time his face showed something Nightwing rarely saw. Batman's face displayed pure shock and horror mixed with a sense of helplessness. For a second, Nightwing worried that the Dark Knight had frozen in fear, an idea that seemed incomprehensible._

"_Bru-Batman?" Nightwing asked cautiously. Batman still didn't seem to have heard him as he still stared into the air. _

"_Batman?"_

_The Caped Crusader remained still as a statue._

"_Bruce?" Nightwing asked while feeling more alarmed by the second. "Are you okay?"_

_Calling him by his real name seemed to snap the stunned vigilante back to reality. He looked over at Nightwing as if he just realized he was there._

"_I'm fine," Batman quickly assured although his tone indicated his mind was elsewhere._

"_Should we maybe comb the scene for clues like we usually do?" Nightwing asked._

"_Good idea, you go ahead and do that," Batman ordered even though Nightwing was pretty sure he had no idea what he had said._

"_Okay then," Nightwing answered awkwardly as he quickly left to canvass the scene for evidence. Batman however still remained sitting on the ground. It wasn't the newfound pain in his leg that kept him there. His mind was so focused on others things. _

"_How?" Batman asked in a whisper even though there was no one there to hear or answer his question. _

* * *

><p><strong>Up next, as Diana tries to salvage her reputation, the Flame makes its next move and strikes Diana personally. With their options running out, Shayera makes a controversial recommendation in order to solve the mystery behind the Flame. And in Gotham, Bruce Wayne receives an unwanted visitor.<em><br>_**


	7. The Destruction of Wonder Woman

**Sorry for the delay; laptop got crushed a few weeks ago and had to get a new one. **

* * *

><p><em>Kasnia 2006<em>

_Diana paced uncomfortably back and forth in the royal bedroom. So far, the media had not received much details on Audrey's recovery from the attack. However, it had been reported the Queen of Kasnia was now fully conscious and functioning as the head of state again. Yet, rumors still persisted about her condition which were further exacerbated by the lack of public appearances from the monarch due to the fact she had remained in the hospital. But now, Diana had finally received a call that her friend would be quietly escorted back to her palace. The queen personally asked Diana to meet her in her bedroom when she would arrive._

_Feeling guilty, Diana stared outside the window of the palace overlooking the Kasnian southern hills. The sun had already set and she couldn't help but feel like it mirrored her hopes for Kasnian peace. With the queen attacked, many had buzzed in the media and internet that the tenuous cease fire would collapse, reigniting the conflict and rendering the sacrifices Audrey had made moot. But Diana hated herself more for not visiting her friend sooner. Due to more incidents related to CADMUS, Diana was unable to visit her friend in the hospital. The Amazon wish she was there when her friend had woken up. She could've been there to comfort Audrey who now was probably scared and confused. Unfortunately, Diana didn't have the ability to turn back time. She may have failed to be with her dearest friend at the onset of the incident due to distractions, but she wouldn't fail this time. Finally, the sound of the door opening snapped Diana out of her negative thoughts._

_Quietly, she watched as a large bodyguard wheeled in an occupant on a wheelchair. The occupant still wore a plain hospital gown, but she also had her face covered by a thick veil. Diana noticed she also wore arm length gloves as if to hide her arms for the same reason she hid her face. A part of Diana felt shame at her actions and experienced a temptation to look away, but she stood her ground. Instead she opted to stare back at the occupant with much compassion and care she could summon. The bodyguard had wheeled the occupant right in front of Diana before bowing and quickly exiting out. When the door clicked shut, the occupant shifted in her seat slowly and Diana could barely make out the faint features of a face peeking through the shades of the veil._

"_You don't need to stand, Darling," croaked the queen's voice. It sounded a lot hoarser and lower than it used to be._

"_I can't really stand yet without some assistance, so as long as I'm sitting, you might as well."_

_At that point, Diana couldn't keep her composure any longer._

"_I'm so sorry!" Diana apologized and she fell to her knees. Due to her tall stature, she still barely towered over Audrey sitting in the wheelchair. The Amazon made to grab one of her friend's gloved hands as the tears started to emerge. Audrey flinched at her touch and for a moment looked like she wanted to pull her arm away, but instead she let Diana grasp it tightly._

"_This is all my fault. I didn't mean for you to get hurt."_

"_Why do you apologize, Darling?" Audrey asked. Even though her voice had become a lot raspier, Diana could still pick up the inflections of genuine surprise in her tone._

"_I convinced you to host the summit," Diana reminded. "You got hurt and I wasn't there for-"_

"_I understand you and the League had your own problems to deal with," Audrey assured. "I won't be mad at you for not sitting at my side in a hospital bed, wasting your time. It was an awful place anyways. No good decorating; you wouldn't like it."_

_Diana let out a relieved laugh. Her friend's spirit had still remained somewhat._

"_And how could I blame you for what happened to me? You didn't do this. It was Dragovic and his men."_

_Diana felt herself unintentionally tense a little._

"_The news reports no one knows who was behind the attack," Diana suggested as best as she could diplomatically. "Dragovic himself denies any involvement and has condemned the attack while praying for your recovery."_

"_Of course he would say that," Audrey murmured. "Would you expect him to admit trying to kill me?"_

"_I don't think Dragovic wanted this to happen," Diana argued. She needed to choose her words carefully because it wouldn't be wise to provoke or anger Audrey as she recovered._

"_Remember he came to the table. He, unlike Nardoc, was more than willing to negotiate a compromise with the other leaders and you."_

"_Who really knows what that man's motivation is?" Audrey dismissed. "The terrorist who attacked me was sympathetic to the Northern factions. Whether he acted alone or under the implicit orders of Dragovic and his political allies is irrelevant. There are many like him who want to see me dead. Perhaps I should return the favor."_

"_Many want to see you recover," Diana reminded. "Not just Kasnians, but the world. The cease fire has still managed to hold. More of your people rather have peace, including the Kasnians that live in the North."_

"_And they shall have peace," Audrey promised. "As long as they prove their commitments to order. If Dragovic is sincere about his desires for peace, he shouldn't have a problem with helping my government restore order to all the Kasnian lands, North and South."_

"_Just be careful," Diana cautioned as a part of her tried to ignore the bellicose subtleties of Audrey's proclamation. "The dream for a peaceful resolution hasn't died yet. Don't give into the temptation of fear and war. That is not who you are. You're a kind and just ruler, and more importantly my friend. I know you. Your people deserve peace and they will have it if you commit to it."_

_Diana made to grab both of Audrey's gloved hands this time and stared directly into the veil. Again, she couldn't completely penetrate the shade it provided, but she could make out Audrey's wide eyes in the shadows._

"_It is just on the horizon. This is the turning point where you decide what kind of ruler you want to be. If you want to be a reactionary ruler and respond to terror with more terror, you will lose everything you fought for. But, if you choose to be a proactive ruler and not give into hate and anger, you will rise above this along with all your people. It will seem the harder path, but it is the right path."_

_Diana stood up from her knees and looked down at Audrey._

"_You can always count on my support and that of the League as well if you need it. Together, we can end this conflict in your country once and for all."_

_For what felt like an hour, Audrey sat in silence and didn't say anything nor moved at all. If it wasn't for Diana's superhearing that could pick up the queen's faint heartbeat, she would've worried that the queen had suddenly expired. Finally, Audrey let out a cough to clear her throat._

"_I'm so glad to have you in my life, my friend," Audrey said. "I do appreciate the talk, but it is getting late and I need to rest per my doctor's orders. I'll be sure to call you and your friends if I need you."_

_Diana almost frowned at that response. She couldn't tell really what Audrey meant by her reply, nor could she read her body language that well. It didn't help the veil made it impossible for Diana to see her friend's facial expression. The Amazon felt the need to protest more, but decided against it and instead opted for a softer response._

"_Keep the faith Audrey," Diana encouraged as she placed a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder. "I still believe in you."_

"_Thank you Darling. Feel free to stop by any time. You know you're always welcomed here."_

_Diana smiled back and turned around and headed towards the large window. Taking one last look back at her friend to try to give her some encouragement, Diana nodded and took off flying into the now evening sky. Audrey just sat there as the image of Wonder Woman faded into the moonlight until she was no longer visible. Clearing her throat, Audrey raised her voice despite it hurting her to do so._

"_Bring the prisoner in!" she commanded. The door immediately swung open and the bodyguard returned, dragging a tall man by the arm. Audrey wheeled her chair around and stared at the man through her veil. The last time she had seen the prisoner, his hair was long and he was a disheveled mess. Now though, his hair had been cut short again and he currently wore a cleanly pressed old military uniform while holding his head high. If it weren't for the cuffs around his wrists, Audrey would've thought he looked more like a soldier than a prisoner again. The bodyguard led the man in front of her before bowing again and scurrying out the door._

"_**Your majesty,"**__ Vox croaked through his voice box, the only thing that looked damaged and out of place. __**"Thank you for giving me time to clean myself up. I greatly appreciate it."**_

_Vox then got on one knee._

"_**I humbly offer my service to you as a faithful soldier."**_

_Audrey scoffed at that._

"_You presume too much," Audrey mocked. "What makes you think I want you working for me?"_

"_**Because I warned you that our enemies couldn't be trusted and now they scarred you like me," **__Vox offered as he proudly got to his feet. He then pointed to the device clasped around his large neck._

"_**I lost my voice to our enemies in service to my country, and now you have suffered your own wound. Like it or not, we now share something a lot of people don't, including your friend Wonder Woman. Take off the veil, no need to be ashamed of your scars. Wear them proudly like me."**_

_Shifting uncomfortably in her chair, Audrey didn't say anything, prompting Vox to encourage her more._

"_**It is okay your majesty,"**__ Vox promised. __**"Don't be afraid. Show me your face."**_

_Hesitating for a few seconds, Audrey slowly lifted her hands up and removed the veil to show her prisoner her now heavily scarred face. Vox didn't flinch or reel back in horror. In fact, unlike many of her advisers that visited her in the hospital, Vox didn't show any determination to avoid looking directly at her. _

"_**I will help you make those scum pay for what they did to you,"**__ Vox promised. __**"You are my queen and by butchering you, they have declared war."**_

"_I have a hard time trusting you still, considering you destroyed my father," Audrey reminded. "And then usurped my rule with Vandal Savage."_

"_**That was a mistake and I deeply regret it,"**__ Vox replied. __**"But, I'll have you know I did it for what I thought was best for my country at the time. I didn't intend to harm your father permanently I just-"**_

"_You rendered him an invalid who can't ever walk or talk or let alone move again!" Audrey snapped. "He's forever condemned to be bedridden for the rest of his life! Did you know we had to smuggle him out of the country and into another hospital under another name for fear he would be an easy target for more attacks because he can't even go to the bathroom by himself? You try to tell me you're loyal, but I'm reminded what you did to my father every time I look into your eyes."_

"_**I wasn't part of the plan to disable him,"**__ Vox interjected defensively. __**"I merely thought we were just going to remove your father from the throne, not cripple him. I am deeply sorry that happened. But, that doesn't change the fact your father was not a good king."**_

"_How dare-"_

"_**You know it! I know it! All of Kasnia knows it!"**__ Vox snapped angrily. __**"Your father was weak and didn't understand how to rule. He may've had decent intentions, but his intentions weren't good enough. We're in this mess because of him!"**_

_Audrey remained in her seat silently while staring daggers at Vox. He didn't scare nor intimidate her but yet, a part of her couldn't bring herself to call her guards to drag Vox away again. Even though she despised him and he had insulted her father, she found herself curious to what he had to say._

"_**I served your father faithfully when he was restored and I was released from imprisonment. But then the Third Kasnian Civil War happened. We had the ungrateful northern tribes trying to break away with their scum allies like the Sacrians and Moslems. And then the Serbs taking advantage of the crisis attempted to sabotage our autonomy and bring back Serbian rule. Your father was a doctor who couldn't stand the sight of blood. He knew what needed to be done, but he couldn't summon the will to do it. So he relied on men like me to remove one of the cancers out. Did you ever wonder why the Serbian populace here hasn't been able to gain a foothold in power like they used to? Because your father allowed me to fight the war."**_

"_And then you betrayed him."_

"_**No, he betrayed Kasnia, not me. We could've dealt with Nardoc's rebellion after destroying the Serbian resurgence, but then your father got tempted to be liked by other countries. He let himself get influenced and wined and dined by foreign meddlers who convinced him to end the conflict, even if it meant letting Nardoc go unpunished. We could've crushed Nardoc, but your father let him go, allowing his rebellion to fester in our lands even more. And it didn't help that your father made it worse by spending our country to near bankruptcy for that disastrous space station plan in another bid to woo over foreign powers. Your father traded his own country's sovereignty in exchange to be liked by foreigners who will never understand or respect Kasnia."**_

_Audrey couldn't think of a reply to Vox's indictment of her father._

"_**I only joined Savage at the time because I thought he was the better chance of saving our country. We were running into debt, being manipulated and bullied by other countries, and on the verge of an insurgency. I believed Savage would've been the ruler to bring honor, stability, and prestige to our country. But now, I realized I backed the wrong ruler at the time."**_

"_Of course you say that now," Audrey dismissed._

"_**I do make mistakes like everyone else,"**__ Vox countered. __**"At least I'll admit that unlike others. Savage wasn't a good choice for a new leader. He was strong willed, but he wasn't Kasnian. He only cared about the world and not our country. I really wish I backed the true leader Kasnia needed at the time."**_

_Vox then walked up to Audrey and collapsed on his knees in front of her chair with his arms outstretched._

"_**I should've realized you were the leader Kasnia needed. I saw it in your eyes only later, but you possess the strength your father never had. Even then you were still just a girl, but I knew you had the potential to be a great leader unlike your father. I regret not putting my faith in you the first time, please allow me to make up for it by assisting you. I beg you to please accept me as your ally."**_

_In a demonstration of reverence, Vox then bowed his head as if to pray to his queen._

"_**Your majesty, please let me help you."**_

"_How do you think you can help me?"_

"_**Let me be your first minister; your top adviser. Your current one is a sycophant and despised by most of your allies in the South. I however, have many political allies still, and much respect and influence in our military. With me at your hand, I will be able to inspire more confidence and support for your rule."**_

"_If you want to advise me, tell me what I should do now?"_

"_**It is obvious,"**__ Vox stated. __**"Either Dragovic is lying and knew about the attack before it happened or he clearly has lost control of his men. The desire for a quick peace is foolish now. The conflict will happen sooner or later, so we must act fast."**_

"_What do you propose?"_

"_**For too long we've let the North have too much freedom. Half of their irregular forces are allowed to patrol the streets openly with their weapons like thugs. Our troops and police officers have no control over the lands. It is time we reassert our rule."**_

"_And if Dragovic resists?"_

"_**He's a statesman, not a soldier like Nardoc or I. He'll fold. But he won't be able to stop all the forces from fighting. This conflict will continue, but we have the upper hand now. Your disfigurement can be an advantage to us. Many others will be more sympathetic to you than the treacherous North."**_

"_Wonder Woman disagrees with your assessment," Audrey revealed. "She believes there's still hope for peace and we should continue to extend the olive branch."_

"_**Forgive me for saying this, but your friend Wonder Woman is not really your ally here."**_

"_She is my friend! My best friend! I share more of a bond with her than with you!"_

"_**Even if that is true, she is not a true Kasnian like us. She is just another foreign interloper not really understanding our way of life or respecting our traditions. You can try to appease those who know nothing about Kasnia like your father, or you can listen to me and take back your nation."**_

_Quietly, Audrey mulled over Vox's proposal. She did her best to keep her facial expression blank so Vox couldn't read it. When she finally spoke, she pointed a warning figure at the older man._

"_Understand this," she warned. "This is your last chance. Not only do I expect your loyalty, but results as well."_

"_**You will have success with me at the helm,"**__ Vox promised._

"_I hope so for your sake," Audrey reminded. "Right now though, we need to consolidate our allies. We need to whip most of the divided factions into supporting me over the Northern cause."_

"_**I can do that. I still have influence in the Black Hand coalition. They've been rather lackluster in their support for you, but with my involvement you're have their full backing. You'll find they'll make powerful allies."**_

"_I know they will. I know their influence. But let it be known, my priorities are not to act out their nativist desires. I know that coalition advocates the expulsions of ethnic minorities like Muslims and Sacrians. I will not tolerate any of that."_

"_**But your majesty!"**__ Vox complained. __**"Filth like that just contaminates the land and-"**_

"_If we want to maintain the moral high ground, we will still show we aren't the monsters here. Tell your allies in the Black Hand they can either support me or watch this country they proclaim to love so deeply descend into chaos. I'm right now the best leader they have for maintaining our nation."_

_Vox squirmed uncomfortably and looked like he would continue to argue, but caught himself at the last second._

"_**Very well, as you wish your majesty,"**__ Vox relented. __**"However, I also propose we start reaching out to some of the business elites."**_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_**Most of them, even your cousin Gunther and your great aunt Cylvia, have been pretty quiet on the conflict. A wise decision for them. Over the last decade, their businesses and assets have grown in wealth. They've tried to remain neutral in our conflicts to protect their business interests internationally. We need to convince them that supporting our cause would benefit their financial interests. A divided Kasnia threatens the respectability of their companies."**_

"_Excellent point," Audrey noted. "See to it we schedule meetings with them. It is time we get everyone involved. If Kasnia will head into war, I will have everyone pick a side. I want peace, but I won't sit idly by anymore. I'm willing to fight for my country this time and I hope you feel the same way."_

"_**You can trust me, your majesty,"**__ Vox promised. __**"I'd lose my voice all over again in the name of Kasnia."**_

* * *

><p><em>Metropolis-2018<em>

"_A new poll released by the institute found most Americans do not necessarily believe Wonder Woman is an accessory to the murder of Vox, a story initially broken by broadcaster Godfrey-"_

"Tell him to hold out just a little longer," Diana said on the phone. She currently had the UK ambassador on the line.

"_Yet in that same poll a third of Americans still have questions about Wonder Woman along with just shy over a third saying they have a negative opinion of her."_

Diana in spite of herself, couldn't help but stare at her television display the results. It seemed over a third of Americans already believed Godfrey's trash and the other third was receptive to it.

"Look Nigel," Diana spoke back into the phone. "I'll call you back later. Thank you for pulling through for us. We need all the support we can get."

Diana then hung up and walked over to her couch in front of the TV. She and Etta had already spent all day on the phone with many others trying to keep the core support of the treaty intact. After a week of long calls and negotiations, Diana felt herself sapped of all her energy. Due to feeling exhausted, Diana decided to call it a night and watch some of the news, even though it annoyed her. However, to Diana's surprise, sitting on the couch was another occupant.

"Anya?" Diana asked, noticing the little girl in her pajamas. "Didn't Etta put you to bed?"

Anya just curiously stared back at Diana who sighed.

"Not like I'm getting any sleep either," she muttered and placed her hand over her head. She had half her mind to try to find a movie for Anya and her to watch, but before she could look for the remote, the broadcast had already gone to a commercial. And it was a commercial she didn't need to see.

"_For years, he has searched and demanded the truth on your behalf…"_ a deep voice narrated. Diana moaned. She couldn't ever get away from Godfrey, no matter how hard she tried.

"_I'm looking out for the folks!"_ a replay of a broadcast Godfrey did in the past emerge.

"_But tomorrow night, Godfrey faces his biggest challenge yet."_

Diana knew better than to open her eyes again and watch the broadcast, but she couldn't help herself. The commercial began showing a slew of images of herself, often purposely edited to make her image look bad.

"_She claims to be the patron of truth. But what is she hiding? What is her real agenda_?" the obnoxious narrator asked.

"Nothing!" Diana snapped at the TV even though she knew it was useless. "Except trying to make the world a better place!"

Diana however, didn't seem to notice Anya had still been staring at her. The little girl flinched at Diana's snapping at the commercial advertising her impending interview. While the Amazon attempted to try to find the remote, Anya looked straight back at the TV and stared. The advertisement was still occurring much to Diana's frustration. Anya stared hard into the television and her eyes widened.

CRACK!

On instinct, Diana jumped to her feet defensively at the noise. However, with her tuned senses, she immediately noticed that the source was the television which was now completely obliterated. It appeared to have overheated and exploded on its own. Before Diana could investigate further, she heard the clumsy stomping of her secretary.

"Ma'am! Ma'am!" Etta gasped out of breath as she rushed into the living room. "I heard a-"

"It's alright Etta," Diana assured. "The television just broke."

"I-what?" Etta asked staring at what remained of the TV.

"I'm just as surprised as you are," Diana assured.

"That's a brand new TV though," Etta pointed out.

"I must've left it on too long," Diana surmised. "Or maybe there was a defect in the-"

At that moment Diana found her eyes locking onto the small pair belonging to Anya. Immediately, Diana found herself a little confused at how the skittish Anya had remained sitting in the same spot since the TV blew up. Tilting her head while sizing up the little girl, Diana tried to recall what Anya was doing next to her as she had tried to search for the remote to change the channel. However, the Amazon shook her head and dismissed the idea. How could've Anya destroy the TV like that? Diana knew she was just losing her grip on reality because of the stress. It was definitely time for her to go to bed.

"I'll clean it up!" Etta offered.

"Allow me," Diana rejected. "Please take Anya back to bed and make sure she falls asleep before you leave."

Etta quickly hurried out to complete her charge. She went to pick up Anya, who resisted the secretary's attempts to pick her up.

"Come on Sweetie," Etta pleaded in a half-exasperated tone. "Work with me here."

With difficulty, Etta managed to pick up the squirming child and carried her out. On her knees, Diana quickly went to work picking up the remains of her television. A part of her inwardly was glad it blew up. At least she couldn't be tempted to watch the news anymore and see the unjust negative press Godfrey had been aiming at her. She had already finished sweeping up most of the trash when she heard her phone ring. Praying to the gods it wasn't the Italian ambassador, she reached for her phone and saw it was the right person she needed to hear from.

"Shayera thank the gods," Diana proclaimed.

"_Uh, I'm outside your embassy,"_ Shayera said with a not very enthusiastic tone on the other end of the call. _"Can you let me in?"_

Although Diana didn't like the sound of Shayera's voice, Diana still tried to keep her hopes up. Within five minutes, Shayera now stood inside Diana's living room with a crestfallen look on her face.

"Please tell me you found something," Diana pleaded even though she already had an idea what the answer was.

"I'm afraid not," Shayera admitted guiltily. "I did manage to eliminate some potential assassins on my original top one hundred list, but none of the top five I narrowed down. I do have a somewhat promising lead on perhaps Azrael, but other than that, I got nothing worthwhile."

"Then why come here?" Diana asked curiously. "You could've done this over the phone."

"I also wanted to check on how you were doing," Shayera admitted. "Are you holding up okay?"

Sighing and taking a seat, Diana felt the metaphorical armor she had haphazardly attempted to wear all week come off.

"I'm fine for now," Diana revealed. "Although I could be better. Hopefully this interview with Godfrey tomorrow mitigates the damage."

"That's another reason why I'm here," the winged woman replied reluctantly.

"You don't think I should do it?" Diana asked as she crossed her arms. "Erik thinks so too."

"I agree with him. Godfrey's a hack and-"

"Has destroyed everything I've worked for in the UN the last year and a half. I have no choice but to try to chop off the head of the snake."

"Don't you think you may be a tad impulsive and rash by confronting him on live TV?"

"I'll be okay," Diana assured. "Lois has been coaching me all week."

"Doesn't matter, she's not doing the interview. You are. I'm afraid this might be a tad too personal for you."

"Godfrey made this personal when he attacked my character with lies," Diana shot back. "I don't want to talk to him anymore than you want me to, but confronting him is the best course of action for me right now unfortunately."

"Forgive me Diana," Shayera spoke. "But frankly, you haven't been making a lot of sound judgment calls lately."

"What do you mean by that?" Diana demanded, her voice unintentionally rising a little.

"It's just you've been under a lot pressure lately before Godfrey served up this red meat for the tabloids. Not only did you have the stress of the treaty, but you still hadn't bothered to tell either Erik or your mother about the conflict of your engagement. Hell, have you even made a decision yet?"

Diana frowned at her friend as she spoke in a much cooler tone.

"That is not a priority at the moment. My personal life right now is secondary to this. I'll make a decision eventually."

"Like how you decided what to do with the little girl you have?" Shayera asked.

"Anya's different, she's-"

"Another example of you making impulsive judgments," Shayera cut in. "Di, you're my best friend on this rock and I'm obligated to tell you the truth, even when it's difficult to hear. You shouldn't do this interview. You've already made a lot of bad decisions this past month and I don't want this interview be another one.

Slowly, Diana got out of her chair and stared back at Shayera. The Amazon showed no emotion to Shayera's reply other than cold indifference. However, Shayera stood her ground and glared back. Finally, Diana's blue eyes softened a little.

"Even if you're right," Diana began. "It's too late. I can't back out now. I've crossed the Rubicon. Neither us nor Faraday has found anything on the Crimson Flame and Dragovic and others have deserted or ignored me. Defeating Godfrey on his own television show is the only way I can recover from the damage he has done."

"Don't give up yet on the investigation," Shayera offered. "There's still another option. Perhaps we should try contacting-"

"Thank you Shayera," Diana cut her off. "But I've already thrown the die. I really do appreciate the effort, but for now, my only option is to confront Godfrey once and for all."

* * *

><p>"So when he brings up what the other ambassadors say, you shoot back with how the countries they represent still have sexist tendencies and perhaps still remain intimidated by a strong, career woman," Lois advised.<p>

"Won't that make me come off as too unsympathetic or playing a victim card?" Diana asked as she stared in the mirror. Currently, she and Lois resided in the guest makeup room backstage for Godfrey's show. The network had not only given him a primetime special on Friday night, but also allowed him to broadcast it live again. Diana already had her makeup and hair done and currently had Lois with her to do some last minute coaching before she went on.

"If you come off strong and confident in your delivery," Lois stated. "You won't be seen as backing down. A lot of it is not just in the word, but how the word is said as well."

"I thought you only dealt with the print media," Diana shot back playfully.

"Hey, when you've been in the business for over twenty years, you know how all media works," Lois countered.

"You're on in two minutes Wonder Woman!" snapped a frumpy stagehand who entered the dressing room.

"I'll be there," Diana promised and she looked back at Lois. "Thanks for helping me."

"Least I can do. Trash like Godfrey gives my trade a bad name. I look forward to knocking pigs like him down a peg, even if I have to do it vicariously."

Smirking, Diana stood up and checked her makeup one final time.

"I'll try not to destroy him too much," Diana said. "Don't want to make him a victim that people feel sorry for."

Lois chuckled at that as Diana's phone rang.

"Hera," Diana exclaimed. She had forgotten to turn it off after agreeing with Godfrey's people she wouldn't bring any electronic devices on stage. However, after checking the caller ID, Diana was glad she still had her phone on her.

"Hello Erik," Diana answered as she put her phone to her ear.

"_Hey Babe,"_ Erik's voice spoke on the other end. _"I'm watching the show right now. How are you feeling?"_

Unable to think of a more appropriate response, Diana swallowed and admitted the truth.

"I can't help but feel a little nervous. I know this is Godfrey, but still."

"_Well, if there's one thing I know, you'll take him out. You've negotiated with hardened ambassadors from less favorable positions. You'll do great!"_

Despite the sappiness in his gesture, Diana couldn't help but feel relief at that encouragement.

"Thank you Erik, I needed to hear that," she admitted. "How are you feeling?"

"_Nervous for you,"_ Erik replied. _"Paparazzi has been ambushing me more about you this past week."_

"Erik, I'm so sorry that-"

"_I said before there's no need to apologize for these vultures. You do what you got to do. Knock them dead tonight!"_

"I will," Diana assured. "Just for you."

"_Love you Di."_

"I love you too."

Feeling more relaxed and confident, the Amazon hung up the phone and handed it to Lois.

"Let's do this," Diana replied confidently as she made her way out of the dressing room and towards the stage.

* * *

><p>When she stepped on the stage, Diana had to blink once because the bright lights had stunned her. However, her eyes adjusted quickly and she continued to walk with all the grace and poise she had. The cheesy background music had started playing with the sound of polite applause and cheers from the audience complimenting it. Diana remained surprised by the net positive reception from the crowd, although she did hear an occasional boo among the throng. Perhaps the public wasn't as ready to turn on her as the media made it sound like.<p>

Giving a wave and a smile at the crowd, Diana headed towards the center were Godfrey sat. Diana had never met him in person and not to her surprise, he appeared more obnoxious in real life than when on TV. His greasy gelled gold hair looked fake and his smug smile made him look like the stereotypical fat kid bully. Also, the suit he wore may've looked expensive to the casual viewer, but Diana knew her fashion well enough to recognize it as a cheap knock off. It'd be fitting that everything about Godfrey looked fake. Reluctantly, Diana stepped forward and shook his hand.

"Thanks for coming on the show, Wonder Woman," Godfrey greeted as he stood up for the handshake.

"Ambassador please," Diana requested. Godfrey gave a grin back and Diana knew immediately he wasn't going to comply to her desire to show her some respect. She didn't really care though. Hopefully the lack of respect would expose to the public how much of a pig he really was. Diana then took a seat and the applause and music had finally died down.

"Well Wonder Woman," Godfrey announced. "You have a lot to answer for tonight."

"I didn't realize this was _Judge Judy_," Diana retorted. That elicited some chuckles from the crowd. Godfrey didn't even twitch.

"Quips won't get you anywhere," Godfrey noted. "I intend to ask all the questions."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Diana assured. "I have nothing to hide."

For the most part, the early stages of the interview went pretty well for Diana. Most of the questions Godfrey had prodded at her she had already prepared with Lois, who Diana could see out of the corner of her eye standing backstage. At first, Godfrey had brought up the attack on her character by the ambassadors and Diana managed to deflect the questions by pointing out some of the ambassadors were probably just intimidated by her. Then Godfrey had tried to go after the argument she had with Vox, but Diana then pointed out that arguments in the UN between ambassadors was common.

"I will apologize that I lost my temper and tact," Diana admitted. "But I'll never apologize for being passionate about my beliefs. I've spent my whole life here trying to help make the world a better place and I'm not sorry for that."

Diana was not an expert in body language or social interaction, but she could feel the vibe that the crowd oozed was still overall receptive of her. In fact, she believed she maybe even won over one or two detractors in the audience. She glanced to look at Lois who gave her the thumbs up backstage. Feeling satisfied, the Amazon felt more relaxed and adjusted her position in the chair as Godfrey flipped through some pages of notes.

"But why did you break in Vox's hotel room?"

"I didn't," Diana denied. Although it pained her to not tell the complete truth with that, she was playing Godfrey's game now and had to go by his rules.

"According to some sources you-"

"Told the staff I had gone to visit the French minister. Yes, that is true because Vox's death wasn't published to the press yet and the League wanted to keep it quiet until more facts were found. I was in his room on behalf of the League and the U.S. government to try to find any indication on Vox's murder."

"But why did you seem so determined to put yourself on the investigation? Some may speculate you were so eager to force your way on it because you had something to hide in relation to Vox's murder."

"Some, or just you?" Diana shot back calmly. Godfrey frowned.

"I've had-"

"Forgive me Godfrey, but the past few weeks you've just been speculating. I've told you the facts and you can try to spin this into any conspiracy theory you want, but the truth remains I had nothing to do with Vox's death and have been investigating it myself."

"So if you didn't kill Vox, who did?"

"We don't know yet. And even if I did, I'm not at liberty to divulge that," Diana replied, knowing Godfrey knew that already.

"How convenient," Godfrey said in a calm tone.

"For me, or for you?"

Diana saw Lois mouth "be careful" to her backstage. The reporter was right. Godfrey had tried to agitate her. She needed to be more diplomatic.

"I have one last question before the break, Wonder Woman."

"Is it an actual question or another speculation?" Diana asked. She heard a few more laughs in the crowd. Godfrey's face, which was heavily covered in makeup, turned a shade of red briefly. He however swallowed and managed to plaster that cheap grin on his face again.

"What was the nature of your relationship with Queen Audrey of Kasnia?"

Of all the questions Diana had theorized Godfrey would ask her at the moment, that one she did not expect.

"I beg your pardon?" Diana asked, a little confused by the seeming randomness of the question.

"Queen Audrey of Kasnia," Godfrey reiterated. "Of the House Horvat. The last monarch of Kasnia before her death in the last Kasnian Civil War. Also stated by most historians the worst European tyrant in modern history since Hitler."

Unintentionally, Diana found her memories flashing back. She remembered the fire, the sounds of war from outside, and the constant bombings as the castle fell to ruins while the screams cried out at her.

"I-uh…" Diana flinched uncomfortably as she reeled back from those memories. It had been a lifetime when she had last thought about that fateful day.

"Why so quiet?" Godfrey chimed in.

"I just got a little taken aback by the question," Diana said and tried to regain her composure.

"Because you don't want the public to remember do you?"

"Remember?" Diana asked, feeling more flustered by the second. "What are you talking about?"

"That you were once friends with Queen Audrey the Awful!" Godfrey shouted excitedly. The screen behind them finally turned on and showed a picture of Audrey and Diana partying in Paris together. The entire crowd gasped at that photo. Regretfully, Diana stared at the blown up screen of her and Audrey dancing in the club. She had tried to forget those happy memories she had with her former friend.

"As you can see folks, Wonder Woman clearly has made associates with people of not good moral standing."

Diana snapped her head back at Godfrey and glared. Lois at that point waved her arms frantically to try to get Diana's attention, but Diana ignored her. She only saw red with Godfrey.

"The entire public was already aware of my former friendship with Audrey," Diana reminded. "It was an interesting tabloid story. Remember Audrey at the time was not a queen yet, but just a young heiress looking to have fun."

"Oh I think you two were more than party pals. We got multiple reports that you two stayed in contact over the years when she took over the throne from her father. Many have stated Queen Audrey sought advice from you on numerous occasions."

"We were friends!" Diana complained. "And that was before things-"

"Started getting ugly for you," Godfrey interjected. "Did you eventually realize your friendship with Audrey was a threat to your reputation?"

"No! I was more concerned about her own well-being and that of Kasnia! We ended our acquaintance before the war ended because I disagreed with her methods and-"

"Realized it was more convenient for you to denounce her because it would ruin your image if people saw you being friends with a bloodthirsty dictator."

Again Diana found some painful memories emerging from the recesses of her mind. Again she heard the screams and seeing those hateful eyes staring back at her.

"_I hate you Wonder Woman! I swear it on the blood of my ancestors! I hate you the most!"_

Shaking her head to try to focus herself, Diana stared back at Godfrey. All that positive vibes she had felt from the crowd had vanished. Diana could sense their now judgmental eyes staring at her, waiting for her to collapse. But then she saw Godfrey's smug face, and she felt her resolve return.

"I don't understand what you're trying to do here," Diana said. "I thought this interview was going to be about the murder at the UN, but you've turned this into sensationalized character assassination. Do you want me to admit I was friends with Audrey? Yes, I was! I'll admit that. She was one of the first friends I made here! But she was a different woman back then. After a few years, she had changed and we parted ways. By the gods aren't you forgetting I was the one who spearheaded the effort in the UN to dispose of her rule on Kasnia and end the war she escalated?"

"And why would you do that?" Godfrey asked. "Were you trying to benefit your career at the UN you felt not only distancing yourself from your former friend wasn't enough, but invading her own country would help you gain more influence as an ambassador?"

"Hera no! I advocated for intervention because of the gross human rights violations that the Fourth Kasnian Civil War had caused! Have you forgotten the thousands of innocent lives butchered?"

"But everyone has forgotten until now your former friendship with Audrey the Awful. Look how well that worked out for you."

"If you don't stop these baseless attacks, this interview is over!" Diana retaliated.

"It seems you're losing your temper again," Godfrey pointed out. "Am I wrong to assume that you have anger issues?"

Diana clenched her fists, but tried to remain calm. She could hear some in the crowd had started to heckle her now.

"Now here's what I think happened. You were the last person to see Audrey alive. I think you wanted the UN to go to war in Kasnia so you can confront Audrey in person and dispose of her. That way your former friendship with her would not be brought up as you gained more influence in foreign politics. You got rid of your friend to benefit yourself politically!"

The crowds jeered at her after that. She however could only think about the fires again and her desperate searching for her former friend.

"_Audrey! Audrey! You need to get out of here!"_

"_Stay away from me traitor! I'd rather die than be your prisoner!"_

"This-this..." Diana tried to rebut Godfrey's claims, but the memories kept distracting her.

"And I think that's why Vox was killed. Didn't you advocate for Vox to not be charged with any war crimes at the end of the conflict?"

"That was because we needed his help," Diana tried to explain although her confidence was gone. "He had a lot of influence still and-"

"Knew some things that made him valuable," Godfrey speculated. "In fact, I'm sure he was well aware of your friendship with Audrey. Is that why you advocated him to be pardoned? Did he threaten to remind the public of your friendship with the tyrant you helped dispose?"

"No, I didn't want him to be pardoned at all, I wanted-"

"Him dead!" Godfrey shouted excitedly. The crowd behind him was getting out of control at this point.

"Is that why you killed him? Did you get fed up with him blackmailing you about your relationship with Audrey that you snapped one day and decided to take care of that loose end once and for all?"

"No! We argued because he tried to stonewall-"

"You forced yourself on the investigation to cover your tracks didn't you? You broke into his apartment to try to dispose of any evidence he had on you and Audrey as friends!"

At this point Diana had stopped paying attention to Godfrey's accusations. She couldn't even hear the crowds hateful jeering and boos at her anymore. It had all become white noise. Instead she felt numb as her mind kept replaying the traumatic events in her life ten years ago.

"_I hate you Wonder Woman!"_

"_Audrey no!"_

"_Audrey!"_

The screams, the fire, the collapsing palace. She remembered the charred body she held in her arms as she cried.

"Answer the question!" Godfrey demanded. That brought Diana back to the real world. She looked around and found the crowd yelling at her. She saw the hate in their eyes. Never had she seen so much hate directed at her except that one fateful day. Those eyes in the crowd weren't strangers. They were all the eyes of hate that Audrey had glared at her before the palace had collapsed. She looked around and saw Godfrey smiling triumphantly like the cat who ate the canary. Not even her anger at him was able to stop the tide of overwhelming feelings crashing over her. She kept seeing those eyes. Without even thinking, Diana suddenly got up and walked out.

"We aren't done with the interview!" Godfrey complained. Diana ignored him and the crowd's rising volume. She made it backstage, passing Lois.

"Di! What are you doing?" Lois asked.

"Let's go," Diana said quickly as she wiped a few tears from her face. At least she didn't cry in front of the cameras.

"Di you can't leave!" Lois complained as she followed after her friend.

"I just did," Diana pointed out. She wanted to be anywhere but there right now. The two women had made it to the lobby of the studio building.

"I know but-"

"Wonder Woman!" a voice shouted. Like a tsunami, a giant mob of reporters and photographers had appeared from the shadows of the lobby and surrounded Lois and Diana. The two women got blinded by a series of flashing lights.

"Wonder Woman, any comments on the accusations that you killed Vox?" a reporter asked.

"What about your relationship with the late Queen Audrey?"

"Did you orchestrate the war to advance your own career?"

Stunned and unable to move, Diana just stood there with her mouth agape. She felt the tears coming down her face again, but couldn't summon the energy to move. Feeling like prey cornered by a predator, she just stood there numb and hopeless. However, she felt a gentle hand grip her shoulder.

"Get out of the way!" Lois yelled as she led Diana out while shoving some reporters to the side. "Come on Honey, let's get out of here."

* * *

><p>Sitting in her hotel room, Zara laughed as she watched the news channel replay the interview. Earlier she had watched the failed interview Wonder Woman had given on Godfrey's show and much to her surprise, the mighty Amazon had crumbled. The whole world had now seen for what she really was. Not only a fraud, but an enabler as well. She was so glad Godfrey brought up Wonder Woman's association with the now dead tyrant. The talk show host had exposed to the world the true image of Wonder Woman. It turned out Deathstroke was right. There were other ways to destroy Wonder Woman and this way was much more satisfying.<p>

"_Regardless of whether Godfrey's claims can be proven,"_ a lady on the news report stated. _"It doesn't change the fact this hurt Wonder Woman politically."_

"_I agree with Sondra,"_ another analysis concurred. _"This has been a big blow to the ambassador and her campaign for the environmental treaty. Her public approval will surely take a hit."_

"_Do you think she can recover?"_ the anchor asked.

"_Maybe,"_ Sondra speculated. _"But for the most part, people are going to be asking more questions about her for a long time."_

"_I don't think she can ever recover,"_ the other analysis disputed. _"No one has been able to refute Godfrey's claims yet. Godfrey may've uncovered something."_

"_You can't seriously expect us to believe Wonder Woman killed both Queen Audrey and Vox to cover her political career?"_

"_No one was there when Audrey died except Wonder Woman. No one else saw what happened."_

"Madame Zara."

Zara muted the television and looked to her large bodyguard. He meekly held the hotel room phone in his hand.

"It is Deathstroke, he has found _her_."

Excited, Zara immediately snatched the phone from his hands.

"You found her?" she asked excitedly.

"_**Someone's finally in a good mood,"**_ Deathstroke noted. _**"I take it you watched the broadcast."**_

"Yes, and I have to say I had my doubts, but now I am impressed," Zara reluctantly admitted. "You were right."

"_**That's why I'm so expensive. I'm the best at my work."**_

"Enough about your ego," Zara warned. "Did you find her?"

"_**Yes I did,"**_ Deathstroke said proudly. _**"I'll be bringing her to you shortly."**_

"Where did you find her?" Zara demanded.

"_**That's not important. The thing is I have my methods and I tracked her. But before I go get her, I want some assurance."**_

"We already paid you half and are committed to the rest."

"_**I want more than that. I know what you're planning remember?"**_

"And?"

"_**Well let's just say I have another proposal,"**_ Deathstroke offered.

"If you think you can keep changing the deal on us-"

"_**I know your deadline for your next attack is approaching fast. You need to leave Metropolis soon. I'm the only one who knows where your little weapon is and I'll keep it that way if you don't hear me out."**_

"If you cross us, we will make you pay," Zara warned.

"_**You can try, but that would be so much more effort and trouble and you'd still not have your prize. I'm a reasonable man. What I want won't be too much of an inconvenience for you than trying to punish me and grab the brat yourself.**_

Zara clutched the phone in anger. How dare he talk to her like some small child. However, he had the upper hand right now. She really had no position to make any demands from him.

"Very well," Zara relented through clenched teeth. "Tell me what your terms are."

* * *

><p>The phone rang again for the infinite time for that night and Etta quickly answered it.<p>

"Th-themysciran embassy," Etta said nervously. "Uh, she's not taking calls right now, can I take a message? Ok. Bye."

Etta then walked nervously up to the Amazon who remained staring out the window into the Metropolis skyline.

"Um, Ma'am, that was Germany, they're…"

"Backing out of the treaty too," Diana finished for her. "They weren't the first and they won't be the last. It's over."

"But Ma'am, what about the treaty?"

"It's finished," Diana admitted.

"That's not the worst part," Lois noted. She had remained on the couch and currently played with Anya who seemed to take a liking to her.

"You're so cute," Lois cooed as she picked up Anya and walked over to Diana. "Di, we need to work on damage control."

"I don't care," Diana admitted. "If the public wants to believe Godfrey's crap, so be it. I can't believe I let him catch me off guard like that."

"I didn't see that coming either. I'm sorry Diana. If I'd known he was going to attack you from that angle, we could've-"

"Doesn't matter, what's done is done," Diana said with finality. "Etta, can you take Anya to bed?"

Etta hurried over to take Anya out of Lois's arms. Anya struggled and kicked, but Etta still managed to grab her out of the reporter's arms and take her away.

"Who wants a bedtime story?" Etta said in a sing-song voice that didn't seem to soothe Anya at all. When Diana was sure they were alone, she looked back at Lois.

"He stunned me," she admitted. "I didn't even expect him to bring up Audrey, but I also didn't expect to freeze up like that. It's just when he mentioned her, I just kept flashing back the day she…she…"

"It was a traumatic experience for you," Lois said in a comforting voice and hugged her. "It doesn't make you weak."

"I saw her die," Diana expressed regretfully. "How on earth could they think I wanted her dead? I tried to save her despite what she had become."

"They weren't there Di nor do they really know you. They can have their own perception formed by outside influence."

Sighing, Diana stared back out into the skyline again. At this point, she was so tired she just wanted to go to sleep. In fact, she just wanted to leave. Maybe go on vacation or take a holiday to Themyscira. But if she went back home, she'd be around her mother and probably be battling over what her decision would be on her mother's offer and her current engagement. She couldn't even go home without feeling stressed out.

"I'd advise you lay low for a while. Perry probably won't let me write any positive articles about you for the time being due to our friendship. Maybe in about two weeks we can work on a plan for addressing the media-"

Lois was interrupted by the sound of the door bursting open.

"Diana!" Erik shouted and ran over to her.

"Erik!" Diana cried in relief and ran into his arms. The couple found each other halfway and held one another tightly. Diana buried her face in his chest and found herself crying. She didn't care if it was in front of him. She needed him right now.

"I got a flight from Central City immediately over here when I saw the broadcast," Erik explained. "Godfrey will pay."

"There's nothing we can do for now," Diana admitted darkly. "He won this round. The treaty's dead."

"Don't talk like that," Erik pleaded.

"It's the truth," Diana whispered back. "There's no way I can revive the treaty."

"Priority right now is salvaging your image," Lois explained. "Both of you."

"What do you mean?" Erik asked.

"Di's not only going to take a hit, but you are as well," Lois elaborated. "People will start either hating you as well for being with her or demand you to end your engagement because you're too good for her."

"You think I care what people think of me?" Erik demanded.

"No, but your producers do."

Diana felt remorse at that thought. The last few hours she had been moping in self-pity about herself, she didn't even consider how this would affect Erik. He didn't even do anything wrong and he would potentially suffer because of her.

"I don't care if I lose all my fans!" Erik snapped as he held his fiancé tightly. "I love this woman and they don't know her like I do. If they hate me for loving her, so be it!"

Before Diana or Lois could say anything in response, there was a ring from her office phone. Etta was still in the other room getting Anya ready for bed and unable to answer it.

"It's probably just some more ambassadors, ignore it," Lois said.

"I saw some reporters outside the building too," Erik noted. Diana however, had an inkling whoever was calling her wasn't a tabloid reporter trying to get a photo of her or another ambassador telling her they'd withdrawn their support. Freeing herself from Erik's arms, she walked over and picked up the phone.

"Yes?"

"_Hello Madame Ambassador, this Agent Faraday,"_ the other voice on the line announced. Unintentionally, Diana closed her eyes. She should've expected this.

"What do you want?"

"_Would you mind coming down to the Metropolis police station? Some of my agents have set up shop there and I have a few questions to ask you. I know you didn't have a good night, but it is really important that you come here at once."_

She could easily pick up the enjoyment in his own voice. He didn't give a damn about her.

"You shouldn't gloat," Diana retorted. "It doesn't fit you."

"_I'm not gloating at all,"_ Faraday denied. _"Though I really can't emphasize anymore how important is you come to the station immediately."_

"And if I don't?"

"_Would you like my men to come to your embassy and encourage you to come with them with all those reporters out there?"_ Faraday asked. _"Do you really want to give them more fuel now?"_

Gritting her teeth, Diana grimaced before acquiescing.

"I'll be there," she promised. "Give me a half hour."

She then ended the call and looked back at Lois and Erik.

"That was Agent Faraday, he wants me to head down to the MPD building."

"Why?" Erik asked. "He can't possibly think you killed Vox?"

"There's no evidence to back those claims," Lois reminded. "He might be using this to just torture you. I wouldn't go. Don't give that man the satisfaction."

"If I don't, he'll probably come and get me himself and I know he and his men won't hesitate to make a scene about it in front of the paparazzi. Besides I know what he really wants."

"What is that?"

"He'll want me off the Vox case," Diana revealed. "He's been looking for an excuse to take me off since I've been on it. He'll use the media fiasco as an excuse that I'll taint the investigation. Not that it matters anymore."

Heading towards the closet to grab a coat, Diana let out a deep breath.

"I guess I better get going. Prolonging this won't make it any better."

"I'm going with you," Erik demanded.

"Erik that's okay but-"

"I'm not letting you go there by yourself," Erik said. "You don't have to face this alone."

Diana wanted to protest further, but deep down she didn't have a real desire to. On the contrary, she wanted Erik to come actually. It would make the pain and humiliation a little better knowing she had one friend there.

"Thank you," Diana whispered gratefully. Erik smiled and stroked her cheek.

"We'll sneak out the back," he offered. "That's how I avoided all the reporters."

"I need to get going too," Lois said. "I have to be at work in two hours."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you want to do this?" Erik asked as he and Diana approached the agent inside the building ready to escort her. The agent had told Erik he wasn't allowed to follow Diana beyond that point.<p>

"Of course I don't want to do this," Diana said. "But what difference does that make?"

Holding her head high, Diana followed the agent and left her fiancée behind. The agent had led her to the backside of the station and she realized they were making their way to the interrogation rooms. Leave it to Faraday to pull out all the stops to antagonize her. Mustering all the strength to maintain her dignity, Diana let the agent lead her to one of the rooms. He opened the door and ushered Diana inside. She wasn't surprised to see a very ill at ease Faraday sitting at table with his hands folded behind his head. What did surprise her was the man next to Faraday.

"Cl-er Superman?" Diana asked in surprise. The Man of Steel stood next to the sitting Faraday. Unlike his wife who had been providing looks of comfort and support throughout the whole night, Superman looked back at Diana with a regretful look on his face. This didn't bode well for her.

"Please take a seat," Faraday offered.

"I prefer standing like Superman if you don't mind," Diana retaliated.

"Very well," Faraday grumbled and then stood up. "It has been a very interesting night."

Glaring back at him, Diana just crossed her arms and gave a huff.

"What do you want?" she asked even though she knew the answer.

"As much as I've never enjoyed garbage like Godfrey," Faraday explained. "He did bring up some good points. I had my men look at Vox's murder again to see if they could find any links between you and it."

"You already went down that route," Diana reminded. "And it turned up a dead end. And I'm sure it will turn up a dead end for the second time or I would've been here in cuffs."

Faraday twitched at her reply.

"You're right. We didn't find any evidence that you killed Vox. In fact, the more we researched the facts over again, the more innocent you look. Now unfortunately, I can't release the evidence to the public with an ongoing investigation, so I'm afraid you'll just have to endure being guilty in the public eye before the murder is solved."

"Don't apologize for something you're not sorry for," Diana ordered. "Your false words annoy me."

Faraday just grinned back at her.

"You always annoyed me too, Madame Ambassador. You think because you're a princess and can fly, that gives you the right to walk around and tell people how to do things? Think again."

Diana wanted to fight back, but a warning glare from Superman caught her eye so she held her tongue. First she had to deal with Godfrey and now Faraday? This night was quickly becoming the worst night of her life.

"What did you call me down here for?" Diana asked.

"Based on what happened last night, we've had to make some adjustments to the investigation. Even though evidence seems to indicate that you're innocent, we can't keep you on the investigation any longer. The public outcry will poison any progress we make. The president just gave the call. He doesn't want my agents working with you for the time being."

"I understand," Diana admitted darkly. "You don't need to rub it in."

"I'm not done yet," Faraday warned and his smile grew even more. That unsettled Diana even more. What else did he have for her?

Faraday then looked at Superman. The Kryptonian looked back at Diana and bowed his head in shame.

"The president along with a few other leaders talked to the League. They don't just want you off the investigation."

"What?" Diana asked. What more could they want from her? She was innocent.

"The president asked me to have the League suspend you for the time being."

"Suspend me?" Diana asked in amazement. She had expected political backlash, but she didn't expect betrayal.

"Di!" Superman shouted back to try to calm her down. "I didn't want to. None of us did! But, we're held accountable by the leaders of other governments."

"We're also accountable for each other!" Diana complained. "Or have you forgotten that?"

"Could you give us the room?" Superman asked Faraday.

"I still need to question-"

"Now," Superman said curtly. Faraday flinched at the warning tone in Superman's voice and he reluctantly walked out of the room. As soon as the door closed, Superman shook his head.

"Di," Superman said. "I'm so sorry but-"

"You couldn't even stick up for me?"

"I did!" Superman claimed. "We all did. But the president and others were insistent. A lot of our funding depends on them. We can't just ignore them."

"But this is me, Kal. I'm your friend! Or at least I thought I was!"

"They wanted us to permanently expel you!" Superman shot back. "Be glad I managed to convince them to temporary suspend you until the smoke dies down."

"Oh I'm so grateful that you're only suspending instead of expelling me when I didn't do anything wrong!"

"It doesn't matter," Superman replied. "Right now, most of the public thinks you're a murderer. No government is going to support us when the whole public is calling for your head."

"Do you think I'm a murderer Kal? Do you think I did it?"

"Of course not!" Superman assured. "You know me better than that."

Diana immediately realized she had just insulted one of her closest friends. Sighing remorsefully, she buried her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry," she apologized.

"I'm too," Superman whispered softly and he went up to her. He then gave her a hug.

"I can't do anything for you as Superman right now and I hate it, but I can at least try to help you as Clark Kent. And Lois will help you too. We'll get you through this."

"Thank you Kal," Diana said. "My whole life just feels out of control right now."

"And you'll weather through it. I managed to convince them to let Shayera still help them with the case. If anyone can crack it, she can. Once they solve the murder, everyone will realize how wrong they were and they'll be begging for you to accept their apologies."

"I don't care about that," Diana admitted honestly. "I just…"

"Use this to take some time off," Superman suggested.

"Maybe I will. At least my workload got lighter now."

Superman let her go and made to walk out. However, he stopped himself and looked back at her.

"One more thing Di, don't talk to Shayera about the investigation. If Faraday or one of the governments gets wind you've talked to her about it, it'll be bad news not just for you and her, but all of us.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe they suspended you," Erik complained.<p>

"They didn't have much of a choice," Diana explained, her anger abating much by now. "Their hands were tied."

"Still, after all you've done, you think they'd showed more gratitude," Erik muttered. They were discreetly trying to make their way back to their apartment at the embassy on foot. Luckily, dawn was just breaking on Metropolis so not many people were on the streets.

"There's also people saying on social media right now that I should break up with you," Erik admitted darkly. Diana stopped dead in her tracks.

"And what do you think?" she asked, half-expecting him to leave her too.

"Do you even have to question that?" Erik asked, half-shocked by her attitude towards him.

"I don't know. I counted on Superman and the rest to be my friends and they still suspended me," Diana replied, her anger returning again.

"You know what my answer is," Erik replied calmly, not letting himself get angry like Diana. "You know I love you more than anything. I'm not going to let a bunch of hashtags and internet comment sections tell me how I should feel about you."

Regretting over almost snapping at him, Diana inwardly chastised herself. She let him put his arm around her. They had just reached the street where the embassy was on. Expecting more reporters to be camped out there, Diana to her surprise found the street completely deserted. The mob of paparazzi had completely vanished. Before she could say out loud her curiosity to the bizarre scene, Erik spoke up.

"I had my press manager leak a rumor to the tabloids we fled for Coast City. Figured it'd by us some temporary peace and quiet."

Relieved she could at least quickly enter her front door for once, Diana held Erik tightly. Pretty soon they had stepped inside the embassy lobby and made their way up the stairs to the apartment. Erik was about to open the door when Diana suddenly grabbed him.

"What?" Erik asked. Diana however covered his mouth.

"That," she hissed and pointed to a window. Erik looked and realized she was pointing to a window that was wide open. It was a large window that was high up on the wall in the embassy. The thing was, no one could reach that high to open the window, let alone why would it be open in the middle of winter?

"Stand back!" Diana ordered and she opened the door. Not to her surprise, she found it unlocked. Quickly she ran inside.

"Di wait!" Erik complained.

Diana sprinted inside and quickly realized the place was a mess. Her furniture was torn upside down and it looked a fight had happened. But what startled Diana the most was the pool of blood on the floor.

"Hera no!" Diana cried.

"Oh my God," Erik gasped when he caught up to her and saw the blood. Diana didn't wait and began running around the apartment.

"Etta!" Diana cried. "Anya!"

No answer was given. Feeling her hairs pick up even further, Diana rushed into the office and to her surprise found a body lying there. It was Etta's. Looking down, Diana realized immediately the blood had been coming from her.

"Etta!" Diana cried and she turned the woman over. Her blouse was covered in blood. The poor secretary had crawled from the living room to the office to try to reach the phone.

"Etta!"

"I can't find Anya!" Erik cried as he entered the room. He was panicking too and froze when he entered the office and found Etta's bloodstained body.

"Oh shit," Erik cried and covered his mouth in horror.

"Eck!" Etta coughed weakly and her eyes fluttered open.

"Thank the gods she's alive!" Diana proclaimed and held her secretary tightly.

"I'm so-sorry Ma'am…" Etta croaked weakly.

"Shh, it's alright. You don't need to apologize."

"He took her," Etta explained weakly. "Or maybe it was a she. I tried to fight them off-"

Etta at this point had passed out again. Diana could still hear her heartbeat but it was faint.

"It's going to be okay," Diana assured although she didn't believe it. "Just hold on."

The Amazon felt herself crying as she held her loyal secretary in her arms.

"We've got to call the police!" Erik said.

"No!" Diana shot back.

"Are you crazy?"

"I'll take her to the hospital myself. We need to keep this secret!" Diana explained as she stood up and carried the dying woman in her arms.

"This is no time to worry about the press!"

"I'm not worried about the press! I'm worried about Etta's safety! How do you think they'll react if they find out Etta's still alive and can tell me who did this?"

"I-uh…"

"Now's not the time Erik!" Diana ordered. "I'm taking Etta to the hospital!"

"But-"

"We donated a lot of money together to the Metropolis hospital on 36th! Get a hold of the chief of medicine and tell him we have a patient that needs to be kept under wraps!"

* * *

><p><em>Wayne Manor-Gotham City<em>

"Just a minute!" Stephanie complained as she opened the door after hearing the incessant knocking. To her annoyance, she found herself facing a middle-aged man who's face looked like it had gotten a couple of botox injections along with some hair plugs. He flashed a pearly white smile back at her.

"Why hello there, aren't you lovely," the older man noted as he eyed Stephanie. She was wearing her workout clothes.

"What do you want?" Stephanie snapped.

"Oh I'm sorry, allowed me to introduce myself. I'm Maxwell Lord, CEO of Cyber Industries. I was trying to speak to Mr. Wayne. Although, I wouldn't mind your company as well."

Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"Mr. Wayne doesn't take any unannounced visitors. You can call the appointment line to schedule a visit," Stephanie replied sarcastically and made to shut the door.

"Now hold it!" Lord complained and tried to fight against the door. "I'm the CEO of Cyber Industries."

"And I'm Stephanie Brown," Stephanie greeted in a fake friendly tone. "It's nice to meet you!"

Before Stephanie could shut the door, a voice called out from the foyer.

"Let him in Stephanie," croaked Bruce. Reluctantly, Stephanie opened the door wide and Lord stepped inside.

"Thank you," he said as he flashed a grin at Stephanie. When he turned his back Stephanie pretended to vomit in disgust.

"That will be all Stephanie," Bruce ordered.

Stephanie walked away leaving the two older men to themselves. Bruce noticed Lord's eyes were following Stephanie lecherously and he felt his fingers digging into his cane.

"I see you still got your excellent taste for vibrant, young woman," Lord complimented.

"What do you want?" Bruce asked impatiently. "Make this quick."

"I'm leaving America and will be headed to Europe for a while," Lord explained. "Cyber Industries has a few new projects I need to oversee."

"Good for you," Bruce replied. "But I fail to see how this is relevant to me."

"Mr. Wayne, why so hostile to me?" Lord asked. "I'm just trying to offer a partnership. I know you're a smart man."

"Then you have to respect my decision. I'm not interested in any joint ventures."

Lord looked annoyed that his subsequent attempt of trying to make his pitch to Bruce in person had failed.

"I'm hosting a social gathering in Paris next week," he offered. "You should attend that at least. When was the last time you saw the City of Lights?"

"I was at a party and a militant rebel group tried to kidnap some princess."

"Oh you were there?" Lord chuckled. "That must have been exciting."

Bruce just stared back at Lord who awkwardly shifted and tried to continue the conversation.

"For this event, I have invited a few other businessmen interested in joining with Cyber Industries' newest pursuits. If you come, I may be able to even show some things that could pique your interest."

"Sounds lovely, but I'm afraid I'm not cut out for the social scene anymore," Bruce replied. "As you can see, my appearance and age has caught up to me."

Bruce then pointed to his bearded face.

"You know you could always look at plastic surgery. It's done wonders for me. In fact, I could introduce you to Dr. Vitmen. He's a German genius and has done wonders on my hair. He could work some miracles on you too."

"Are you calling me ugly?" Wayne replied.

"What? No I meant that-er, well-"

"Thank you for stopping by, Mr. Lord," Bruce said and he limped over to the door and swung it open to indicate he wanted the man out of his house. "But I have other things to do this day. Have fun in Paris."

"But Mr. Wayne-"

"This cane I use to support myself sometimes is made of a rare solid steel. Don't make me have to do an impact test on it."

* * *

><p><em>Gotham City-2009<em>

"_What happened?" Barbara asked as she saw Bruce just sitting in the chair facing the Batcomputer. The screen remained black, but Bruce didn't seem to care and resolved to stare at it. He had sat there for almost a full day and he didn't show any sign he had rested or done anything else at all._

"_I told you a thousand times," Dick complained in a hushed whisper as they continued to stare at Bruce from afar. "We fought Deathstroke and he ended up beating us. Next thing I know he's all staring off into space. He's had the confused, angry look since the flight back."_

"_What else happened?" Barbara pressed further. "Did Deathstroke do something else?"_

"_I was only knocked out for a couple of minutes! Next thing I know Deathstroke's on top of Bruce insulting him and letting him go. I mean Deathstroke hurt his leg a bit, but that's not the first time Bruce's had a physical weakness exploited by an enemy."_

"_Something must've happened when you were unconscious," Barbara theorized. "Why else would he be like that right now? I mean the other day we couldn't get him to leave Alfred's side and now we can't get him to leave the chair to go visit Alfred. Something had to have happened."_

"_Well whatever it is, I don't want to know," Dick muttered darkly. "If it's enough to spook Bruce, just imagine how bad it must be."_

"_He's moving!" Barbara gasped and pointed at the chair. Bruce got up and with suddenly new signs of life, he started limping towards the Batmobile._

"_What the hell is he doing?" Dick complained. Bruce was not in costume and was in civilian clothes at the moment. Not to mention the sun had not set yet and there was still plenty of daylight._

"_Where are you going?" Dick shouted. Bruce had ignored him and continued to make his way to the Batmobile. However, Dick picked up his pace and was able to sprint over and intercept Bruce._

"_Where are you going?" Dick asked for the second time._

"_Get out of my way, Richard," Bruce ordered._

"_What are you thinking? You're about to go drive the Batmobile out of costume!"_

_That didn't seem to phase Bruce at all. Instead, he glared back at Dick and responded with a hoarse whisper._

"_If you don't get out of my way, I will make you regret it."_

_Stunned by the venom in Bruce's threat, Dick stood perplexed. Bruce walked around him and by the time Dick could get over the shock and compose himself, Bruce had already started the Batmobile up._

"_At least tell us what you're doing!" Dick yelled over the Batmobile motor._

"_I'm getting some answers!" Bruce snapped back as the Batmobile canopy slid shut and he sped out of the cave._

* * *

><p><em>Metropolis-2018<em>

Diana paced back and forth impatiently as Erik sat in the chair. Luckily, Erik was able to call in a favor for the hospital and not only arrange some privacy for Diana, Etta, and Erik, but also keep it away from the media's attention. The last thing Diana needed was a media storm speculating about Etta's injury and putting her in the cross hairs. It was clear to Diana everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours wasn't a series of random events. Someone or something wanted to destroy her. It couldn't be a coincidence that her character was assassinated on the same day Etta was injured and Anya captured.

"Di, sit down or you'll just tire yourself out," Erik offered.

"I can't," Diana dismissed. "Not until I know Etta and Anya are okay. They're both in danger because of me."

"You don't know that. For all we knew it could've been a burglary gone wrong."

"How many thieves do you know are sophisticated enough to disable the embassy alarm and open up a high window from the outside? This wasn't a robbery. This was meant to attack me. They knew I wasn't there and made their strike."

"Who's they?"

"I don't know," Diana admitted reluctantly. "Probably the Crimson Flame."

"Don't you think you might just be a little paranoid?"

"I've become a pariah in the media, Etta's life is in balance, and Anya's missing! How can I not be paranoid? Don't you get it? This isn't just a bunch of bad luck or accidents! Someone has targeted me and they got me while I was off guard! I won't let them-"

"Shhhh, the doctor's coming," Erik warned. Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Diana readjusted her face and Erik stood up. They both looked expectantly at the doctor.

"Well?" Erik asked hopefully.

"We managed to stabilize her, but she lost a lot of blood. If she makes it through the next day, that can be a good sign for us. Hopefully we can get her to wake up by next week."

"If she needs blood, I'm happy to donate, what's her blood type?" Erik offered and rolled up his sleeves.

"We already got her full of blood. She's really lucky. I don't know what exactly stabbed her in the stomach, but it seemed to miss all of her vital organs. It must've been a pretty thin knife or sword."

Diana remembered the memory of Vox's mangled body at the feet of the UN lobby. It looked like he had been hacked with a sword too. And Shayera believed the assassin was a specialist with a sword. It was all coming together!

"I uh," the doctor asked. "Was wondering if you could tell me about Ms. Candy's medical history."

"Er," Diana began and felt a guilty tear fall down her face. Despite Etta's constant loyalty to her for the last few years, Diana realized she knew little about her loyal friend.

"Other than cosmetic surgery, I'm not aware of anything else," Erik mentioned.

"Yes we saw the signs of plastic surgery. I'm more talking about any medical allergies. Madame Ambassador, as her employer, do you know if she has any allergies to penicillin?"

"No," Diana admitted ruefully.

"What about family history? Does she have any family members that have a history of medical allergies?"

"I don't know," Diana cried as she felt herself being washed over by more waves of regret.

"Well do you have their contact information so we can ask them?"

"She has a father, but he's in another hospital somewhere. I don't even know his name. Gods I don't know if she had anyone else, I'm sorry!"

Diana then just walked off and tried to wipe the tears from her face.

"I'm sorry we haven't been able to provide much useful information," Erik apologized, feeling guilty as well.

"It's alright Mr. Bronson."

"Also," Erik leaned in as he saw Diana walk out of the room. "Tell the chief and the others we appreciate you guys keeping this quiet."

"We understand Mr. Bronson," the doctor promised. "For what it's worth, I don't think your fiancé killed the ambassador. Both of you have done so much good work for the hospital here. Too many people I saved here owe their lives because of your generosity."

* * *

><p>Consumed by her grief over the sudden reveal how ignorant she was on Etta's life, Diana had wandered off through the hospital. Luckily the wing they were in wasn't as crowded so she didn't have to worry about being spotted. However, she realized a couple of young orderlies were walking by. Deciding she should try to avoid them, she walked outside a door that led to a balcony overlooking the city. Shutting the door quietly behind her, Diana took a deep breath.<p>

"I got your text," a voice replied. Diana jumped and found herself facing a woman with wings.

"Shayera!"

"What were you thinking?" Shayera snapped back. "Texting me to come meet you over here? If the NSA is monitoring your phone you can get us both in trouble!"

"That's not important," Diana dismissed. "I need you right now."

"Yes I read the content of the message. You think the people who killed Vox are the same people who attacked Etta and kidnapped Anya."

"I don't think, I _know_," Diana emphasized. "The Crimson Flame or whatever they are made a threat against Kasnia and me! Vox was killed by a sword and Etta was attacked by a sword! How else did Godfrey find out about the murder? They must've told them! Don't you see they've been targeting me?"

"Even if this all connected," Shayera noted skeptically. "I don't see why you wanted me to come here and talk about the case. You know we're not allowed to talk about it anymore."

"Since when did you care about rules?" Diana demanded angrily.

"Since I have a family now!" Shayera snapped. "Don't you get it Di? If they find out about this, it may mean prison not only for you but me as well! I don't want my kids to have a mother that's not only a traitor but a convict as well!"

Immediately feeling bad for snapping at Shayera, Diana calmed down.

"I'm sorry Shay, I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

"I know you didn't," Shayera acknowledged. "I understand you're going through a lot. I promise you I'll do my best with Faraday to try to solve this case."

"You don't understand, I need to solve this," Diana explained. "They targeted me. They then attacked Etta and kidnapped Anya. I have to be the one who solves this!"

"I know you always feel you have to be involved in everything," Shayera replied. "I understand that. But Diana, I can't help you. You're just going to have to sit on the sidelines. Eventually Faraday and I will figure this out."

"Faraday will not solve it! He can't make the connection because he doesn't know about Etta and Anya. Besides, he's already dismissed the Crimson Flame angle out of spite towards me. Shayera, he won't be chasing the right leads and you know it. You can though for me."

"They'll be watching me like a hawk soon enough. I can't just start being your own independent investigator. I'll just do what I can to try to steer Faraday into looking into the Crimson Flame again."

"Please Shayera," Diana begged and grabbed her friend by the arms. "I don't have that kind of time. They hurt Etta and took Anya to get to me. I need to solve this fast and I need your help before Anya or someone else gets hurt. You're the only one I can trust to chase leads for me."

"I'm sorry Diana," Shayera said regretfully and Diana spotted tears in those green eyes. "I really do want to help you. But I can't."

Shayera then turned around and walked away, but then she stopped. She then took a deep breath.

"But maybe, there is someone who can."

"What?"

"I may not be able to help you investigate Diana, but maybe there's someone else you can reach out to."

"I can't reach out to any police or other investigative agencies. The government will tie their hands. If I to reach out to some private investigation firms they'll probably reject me. Most probably think I'm a killer and there's no one I can trust to be discreet."

"Well, luckily for you this person I'm thinking of is very discreet. So discreet, I can assure you he doesn't care about operating outside the government authority."

"Who is it?"

Shayera turned around and stared at Diana.

"Are you sure that you really want to continue this investigation personally that you're willing to do anything?"

"Yes, why does that matter?"

"Because the person I'm thinking of is not only probably one of the few people I'll painfully admit is as good as me, but also probably the last person you would want to see right now."

At that moment, it had dawn on Diana what Shayera was leading on.

"Shay, you don't mean _him_?" Diana gasped. "You can't be serious."

"I am serious," Shayera proclaimed. "The only person who can help you solve this case is your ex."

* * *

><p><strong>Up next, Diana goes to Gotham in search for her last hope. <strong>


	8. Unburying the Past

_Kasnia-2006_

"_Your Majesty, it appears that the destruction of the memorial was done by the Northern activist called the Red Bear," Audrey's minister of interior explained._

"_I thought we already apprehended him last month," Audrey noted angrily. Nervously, the minister of security cleared his throat._

"_Your Majesty, he was apprehended by the local authorities. However, sources indicated he was let go by them. We still haven't determined if they let him go voluntarily or if they were pressured by the village before they could transfer-"_

"_**Of course they let him go!"**__ Vox interjected. __**"That village is a hotbed for Nardoc sympathizers!"**_

"_The police swore that they attempted to uphold the law and process him!"_

"_What law?" Audrey asked bitingly. "The Kasnian law, or the so-called Northern law?"_

_No one dared to say anything in response to that remark, including Vox._

"_For too long we've let the North have their autonomy and they've been taking advantage of our kindness. Red Bear is not even that big of a high profile agitator and the Northern police can't even detain him despite us supervising them."_

"_But your Majesty, we can't watch the entire country 24/7. We don't have spare police officers to send up North."_

"_Then it's time to get aid from the military," Audrey explained. "We're short on manpower so we'll have to get it from somewhere else."_

"_Your Majesty, I must protest," her minister of interior complained. "We've still managed to keep things to a simmer. Having troops patrol the North will spark a conflict again."_

"_**Good,"**__ Vox retorted. __**"Then the snakes will reveal themselves!"**_

"_Your Highness, such an action will restart the war!"_

"_I'm not advocating for war!" Audrey snapped. "The troops are just there to help implement Kasnian law. We're facing an insurgency in our own country. You deal with insurgents by creating the image of security."_

"_Others will see it as a threat to their autonomy," the minister of security complained._

"_Which is why we will give strict instructions to our soldiers that they will follow the rules. We're trying to win over the Northern populace and deal with the rebels. I'm done for the day. You may all leave now."_

_The cabinet members all nervously got up and bowed as they made their way out, except for one. Vox just stood tall and proud as he patiently waited for his sovereign to address him privately. When the last member, the minister of the treasury, scampered out, Audrey turned to look at Vox while taking off the veil to show her scarred face._

"_That thing is so suffocating," Audrey complained. _

"_**This isn't exactly comfortable either,"**__ Vox mentioned as he pointed to his neck._

_Audrey weakly got to her feet. Physical therapy had allowed her to walk again, albeit with difficulty._

"_Do you think I made the right decision to have soldiers help patrol the streets?"_

"_**Your Majesty, I think you didn't go far enough."**_

"_You heard the others. If we create the image of us occupying the North, it will light that powder keg on fire."_

"_**The rebels of the North already hate you,"**__ Vox countered. __**"And even boots on the ground won't be enough to apprehend them all. The local magistrates will release the offenders instead of charging them. You need to take a more active role in controlling the sentencing."**_

"_Dimitri will never tolerate that."_

"_**With all due respect, I believe you need to do away with your minister of the interior."**_

"_You already had me fire my first minister to give you a job, and now you want me to fire another minister? At this rate I'll have no allies on my cabinet."_

"_**Your Majesty, you are the queen. It is time you ruled like one. You have the will to enforce the law, unlike many of your ministers."**_

"_Are you suggesting I reshuffle my entire cabinet in the middle of this crisis?"_

"_**I'm suggesting you do what needs to be done. We can't have weak men holding you back."**_

_Frowning, Audrey looked at the different documents littering her side of the table. So far, her first month of rule with Vox at her side had become tense. The North was still on the verge of erupting again. However, it seemed most her ministers, except for Vox, were too timid to fight back to retain their country. Maybe Vox was right and she was surrounded by cowards._

"_Did you deliver on what you promised?" Audrey asked, deciding to see if Vox had at least proven his worth unlike the others._

"_**Indeed, your Majesty. The elites are on our side. Especially your cousin, Paula Gunther, and your aunt, Cylvia Anita. With their two companies together, we should be able to strengthen our military force. They have some new weapons ready to be tested."**_

"_New weapons?" Audrey asked warily._

"_**We need to stay ahead of the rebels if we want to be ready to fight them. Remember when they fought us with the Annihilator? If they get another piece of technology like that, we could be brought to our knees."**_

"_What kind of weapons are these new ones they're developing?"_

"_**They all vary. From newer firearms to even more creative ones. Your aunt's company has been working on a very special one. I've told them to continue testing it."**_

"_What does this special one do?"_

"_**It's still in the prototype stage, but let's just say it will give us an edge in the war if the cease fire ends."**_

_Audrey felt her frustration grow by Vox's lack of details. That meant he was hiding something._

"_This weapon by chance wouldn't cause outright anger from the international community if used?"_

"_**Your Majesty!"**__ Vox protested. __**"The international community doesn't care for us and-"**_

"_Will bring down the full fury of the world if we provoke them by using a weapon they deem too cruel! I want all weapons to be approved by me personally before being developed. I'll fight to keep my kingdom, but I will not create international backlash and give other countries a reason to invade our lands. Do you understand?"_

_Vox's face became as that of a child told it wasn't allowed to do something, before swallowing his pride and humbly looking at the ground._

"_**Yes, your Majesty."**_

"_And this conversation about this special weapon never happened you understand? You can tell my aunt or whoever runs her company now to halt all work on this weapon. The last thing I need is-"_

_The door swung open as an exasperated Dimitri stormed in._

"_Your Majesty, we just got word that riots have broken out in Raskyh!"_

"_**The second biggest city in the North?"**__ Vox pointed out. __**"How did you lose control of an area that large?"**_

"_Dragovic was supposed to give a speech there wasn't he?"_

"_He never showed up," Dimitri quickly explained. "He cancelled at the last minute. He had one of his allies speak at the rally. The speaker though apparently went off script. Instead of encouraging peace and cooperation with you like Dragovic had planned, he demanded that the entire North all take up arms and burn effigies of you. The police there are already short on manpower!"_

"_Send some troops there!"_

"_I-but we could just provoke the rioters even more-"_

"_**The queen gave you an order!"**__ Vox snapped. __**"Follow through on it or she'll find someone else to!"**_

_Dimitri stared helplessly at Vox and looked back at Audrey in desperation to find support._

"_Do your job Dimitri, or I'll have you punished for refusing my orders," she warned coolly. That motivated the hapless minister. As he left the room, Audrey grabbed the royal phone to dial a number. She only heard it ring once before some picked it up._

"_Hello Your Majesty," greeted a bored voice._

"_Dragovic," Audrey acknowledged coldly. "What happened in Raskyh?"_

"_I'm terribly sorry," Dragovic apologized although Audrey got the impression he wasn't sorry at all. "I swear that I told Vlad to keep the speech relatively clean. But you can't blame a man for appealing to his audience."_

"'_Appealing to his audience?'" Audrey complained. "He instigated a riot."_

"_It was a rally. I'm sorry that things got a little out of hand. I can't help it that many in the North are very passionate about their autonomy."_

"_You snake!" Audrey accused. "You did this to get back at me for increasing more oversight on the North."_

"_I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but my driver is going into a tunnel right now so I can barely hear you. I'll be sure to call you later."_

"_You bastard!" Audrey shouted angrily and hung up the phone. She then looked back at Vox who had a smug grin on his face._

"_Why are you so amused?" the queen demanded._

"_**I told you Dragovic was trouble. There's no doubt he had a hand in causing those riots. I'm sure he told his puppet to start them. It allows him to claim he's still on your side while having his proxies continue to nurture the rebellion."**_

"_He'll deny any involvement and I'm sure his subordinate will claim he acted on his own. We won't have evidence to put him away. He's a lot more political savvy than I gave him credit for."_

"_**Your Majesty, he is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He can't be trusted."**_

"_You'll have me arrest him then? Without any evidence he'll be found innocent at the trial."_

"_**You are the law,"**__ Vox suggested. __**"As queen, you can have him arrested on charges of treason. No one will oppose your rule. Assert yourself on your enemies."**_

"_If I detain him indefinitely, the North will restart the war for sure."_

"_**We are already at war in case you haven't noticed. This cease fire is a farce. It is time we strike back from a position of strength."**_

_The queen took a seat back in her chair and carefully thought over Vox's words for a few minutes before staring back into his eyes._

"_I won't arrest Dragovic," she commanded. "Even though he masterminded those riots, I don't have the evidence against him yet. I'll make sure he sees justice the proper way. Otherwise, the rebels will have another cause to restart the war."_

"_**But Your Majesty, the proper way isn't always the moral high road."**_

"_Let me finish," Audrey added. "The little amount of patience and trust I had in Dragovic has been spent as well. He's no longer welcomed to the table. The North will have to find someone else to represent their grievances with me. Do you have any issues or should I hire another first minister?"_

"_**Your Majesty, your will is my command,"**__ Vox promised. __**"I will make sure Dragovic gets the message that you will no longer be willing to speak to him on behalf of the North.**_

* * *

><p><em>Metropolis-2018<em>

"You can't be serious!"

"I am serious," Shayera assured. "More serious than I've ever been."

"I asked for your assistance and-"

"My hands are tied," Shayera reminded. "At least Bruce can give you the help you need."

"I don't want his help," Diana corrected. "I don't want him back in my life at all."

"This isn't the time for pride, Di," Shayera warned. "We could use him. I've been mulling over seeking out Bruce myself during this investigation for some time now."

"And what makes you think he would come to our aid? You remember the League's agreement with him. We leave each other alone. He was very clear how he wanted all of us to severe ties with him."

"Bruce is Bruce. He can never resist a good mystery to solve, regardless of his personal feelings."

"Not when it's coming from a member of the League," Diana dismissed. "Do you really think if you asked for his help, he'd willingly give it?"

"Maybe he won't be interested in hearing it from me, but perhaps you."

"What do you mean?" Diana asked. Shayera gave a knowing look which caused Diana to glare back at her friend.

"I don't know if you recall, but our relationship blew up before he quit the League. He hates me probably the most. Gods I hate him too! He's possibly the only man I hate more than Godfrey who isn't a supervillain or a terrorist."

"But you've always had a way of getting under his skin," Shayera suggested. "Maybe you can convince him to take a crack at the case. Even if he won't do it for old time's sake, at least play to his ego."

"I've already suffered enough humiliation from Godfrey and the media. I will not debase myself by groveling to him."

"Do you want to solve this case and clear your name?" Shayera snapped.

"I don't care about my name! I want to save Anya and stop the Flame before anyone else gets hurt!"

"Then you don't have much of a choice. If you're going to solve this case, you're going to need someone who is better at this than you. And right now, Bruce is the only one you got."

Diana's mouth tensed at the response and she clenched her fists. It frustrated her in that she couldn't think of a quick enough response. Her friend had a point, although she refused to admit it out loud. At this point in her life, beggars couldn't be choosers.

"I don't think he can even solve this," Diana said in an attempt to discredit the idea. "He's got to be in his mid-fifties by now. He's way past his prime."

"Even if his body has aged, I doubt that obsessive, yet brilliant mind of his has dulled," Shayera countered. "The man doesn't forget nor miss anything."

"But you've heard the rumors. They say Bru-Batman has disappeared from Gotham. There haven't been any sightings of him for years. Some people say it's someone else now."

"We both know that even if those rumors of a new Batman or something else were true, Bruce would still be in Gotham, pulling the strings somehow. As far as I know, Bruce Wayne still lives despite disappearing from the public eye."

Annoyed, Diana turned her back to her friend and crossed her arms. She had come to this meeting with the forlorn hope Shayera would defy the authorities and help her. Now though, she found herself more exasperated by her friend bringing up things from her past she had spent another lifetime forgetting.

"Look Diana, I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to come up with excuses to convince yourself Bruce is not your best option. But deep down, you know I'm right. I know you don't like it and I personally don't want you to interact with him after what happened between you two, but he's your only hope."

Unable to give an answer, Diana kept her back to Shayera and stared into the morning skyline. She felt her heart racing as the high winds blew her hair. A few memories she tried to forget crossed her mind. After everything, she thought she had forgotten about him for good. But, it seemed that Bruce always would find a way to haunt her again, especially at one of the most difficult moments of her life.

"I need to get going," Shayera said awkwardly at the lack of response from her friend. "If you do decide you want to try to solve this case before Faraday does, you'll need these."

Hearing the sound of something slapping on the ledge, Diana turned around to see Shayera dropping an overstuffed binder filled with documents.

"These are copies of everything I collected on the case. Faraday is unaware I made some before I turned over my evidence to him. If you go to Gotham to get help, Bruce will want to see all that."

Unsure, Diana took a step forward and hovered her hand over the binder. Her hesitation didn't last long and she eventually picked it up. Even with her superior strength, it felt surprisingly heavy.

"Thank you Shayera," Diana replied. "I know you've done a lot for me."

"I wish I could do more. I really do. But, this is about the last thing I'll be able to give you. What happens next is in your hands. You're on your own now."

Shayera then pivoted on her feet and stretched her wings.

"I can't stay much longer or they might discover that we talked. Good luck Diana," she whispered gently as she took off. Unlike her friend though, Diana remained on the roof a long time after Shayera had left. She clutched the binder full of evidence tightly and stared at with trepidation. If there was only another way for her, but the fates were cruel today. They must've enjoyed the dark humor of her circumstances.

"Hera, give me strength," Diana whispered to herself.

* * *

><p>"So she thinks your only option is to go seek out the Batman?" Erik asked in disbelief. The couple had currently returned to their apartment since they couldn't really stay in the hospital much longer and wait for Etta to wake up from the coma, if she ever would. Diana had finally told Erik what Shayera had suggested.<p>

"You sound troubled," Diana pointed out.

"Well, it's just you and the others never mentioned him. I mean, I know he was on the League when you founded it, but then he quit from what I heard. I always assumed you guys had a bad falling out with him."

"What would you give you that idea?"

"I don't know. Maybe that one time I offered to take the weekend off in Gotham and you absolutely refused to?" Erik noted as he gave Diana a suspicious glare. Off guard, she didn't say anything in response.

"I know you don't tell me everything about your life with the League, including its past. Honestly, I'm okay with that. But, don't take my willful ignorance as a sign that I'm an idiot. I know something happened between Batman and the others."

Feeling like she couldn't come up with a defense at the top of her head, Diana threw up her hands in defeat.

"You're right," she admitted. "There was a nasty schism so to speak. We reached an agreement with Batman to stay out of each other's way."

"And now you want to go to that man for help?"

"I didn't say I wanted to!" Diana snapped.

"But you are thinking of meeting with him, aren't you?"

Uncomfortably, Diana shifted in her seat. She knew her body language gave Erik all he needed to know, so there was no point of denying it.

"He-he may be the only one," she said as much as it disgusted her. "Like Shayera pointed out, he's not restricted by Faraday or the government."

"And that doesn't scare you? Going to seek out the help of a man who not only hates you and the League, but doesn't follow any semblance of law and order?"

"He doesn't scare me," Diana assured, feeling her pride wounded at the accusation of fear.

"Then why do you seem more reluctant than me to go to Gotham and call him up?"

Unfortunately, Diana couldn't think of a good excuse. She was already very tired and Erik's unrelenting questioning had worn her out further. Besides, he knew her too well that she was sure he could detect a lie from her if she attempted one at that moment.

"Because…I…uh, used to date him," Diana quickly finished after hesitating between her first few words.

"What?"

"It was a long time ago. I was still relatively new to Man's World. It wasn't really dating anyways."

"You mean, you slept with him?"

"What? Did you think I only held a candle until I met you? You know I've been in relationships with a couple of other men before you."

"But this is the Batman! Not only a man said to be crazy and out of control, but a man who you and the League despise as well!"

"It was a different time back then!" Diana retorted. "I'm sure you had relationships you regretted."

Now it was Erik's turn to shift uncomfortably in his seat. He gulped and adjusted his posture.

"Okay, you win there," he conceded. "But still, you don't see me trying to resurrect the past."

"I'm not trying to. This is strictly from a tactical perspective. Batman is just as good at investigating as Shayera is. He's the only one I know who won't be intimidated by law enforcement to not help me."

Sitting quietly, Erik said nothing and seemed to stare at the ground as he remained in deep thought. He eventually looked back at up at her with suspicion in his eyes.

"Do you still love him?" Erik quizzed.

"What?"

"Batman. Do you still love or have some feelings for him?"

"Of course not! I hate him! Hades, I hate him the most out of the League! It was a bad break up. There's a reason why I haven't talked to him in ten years. That man behind the mask is the last man I'd ever want to be in a relationship with, let alone talk to again."

"Yet, you have a history with him," Erik mentioned.

"_Ancient_ history," Diana emphasized. "It's been so long I probably wouldn't even recognize him behind the cowl. He's more of a stranger to me now."

"But you know who Batman really is?"

"Of course I do," Diana answered. "We all knew each other's secret identities."

"Who is he?"

"Why does that manner?"

"If you're going to seek out help from a borderline, psychotic vigilante, I'd like to be able to picture his human face at least to put my mind at ease."

"He's not psychotic," Diana defended. "He's just…he just has issues. Batman may be a terrible person, but he's not crazy and right now I'll tolerate terrible if it means I can solve this case."

"But who is he?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why?" Erik asked incredulously. "I'm your future husband. You don't trust me?"

"It's not that," Diana quickly assured. "I do trust you. It's a professional code among us to not disclose each other's identities unwillingly. He may no longer be part of the League, but that agreement still stands."

Grimacing, Erik got up with a look of disgust on his face. But, he then relaxed a little and seemed to buy Diana's reasoning. Diana hoped he wouldn't press the issue further. She didn't want to admit that she actually was afraid to think what would happen if Batman discovered that Erik had learned about his true identity. As she said, Bruce wasn't psychotic, but he definitely had issues.

"I don't like you going to see him."

"Why? Are you jealous?" Diana shot back. Immediately, she regretted that comment.

"I'm sorry," she quickly apologized as Erik stared back at her with a hurt look on his face.

"You think I'm into petty jealousy? You know me better than that Di."

"I didn't mean that. That was just me lashing out for no reason."

The couple stared at each other uncertainly in an uncomfortable silence. However, Erik seemed to have kept his cool and absentmindedly ran his hand through his hair before speaking again.

"I still think we should go to the authorities," Erik admitted. "I much rather you seek their help than someone like Batman."

"I can't," Diana reminded. "Etta could be put at risk if this goes public. Furthermore, Faraday will probably not help me and use this as grounds to arrest both of us somehow. Godfrey would have another field day with that."

"That doesn't make me anymore comfortable with you going to Gotham to seek out an ex-boyfriend that you despise for help."

"I'm not comfortable with it either, but I owe it to both Etta and Anya to accept the discomfort. If he actually helps me find the Flame and discover what they're up to, it'll be worth it."

She got up and placed a hand on his face.

"You care for me, I know you do. It's why I love you. But, you have to understand that not only do I sometimes have to put myself in danger physically, but emotionally as well. I'm willing to take the risks if it means stopping the people behind this."

Staring back into her eyes, Erik gave her a soft hug before kissing her on the forehead.

"Do what you think is right, just be careful for me, if nothing else."

* * *

><p>Flying her jet into the skyline of Gotham City, Diana felt her nerves tingle with anticipation. She hadn't been to the city for ages. One time she did see it afar from the skyline of Bludhaven, but still this was the first time she had entered the city limits, let alone air space, in the last decade. Much to Diana's surprise, although it hadn't change much, Gotham seemed more foreign and alien to her than ever before. The mixture of old Gothic architecture and new, flashy buildings gave off a dichotomy of wealth and horror, not unlike its most iconic vigilante. She circled her invisible jet a few times around the skyline, before finally deciding to land on an abandoned warehouse rooftop downtown. As the jet gently and quietly landed, she finally relaxed a little and closed her eyes.<p>

After debating it on the flight to Gotham, she had decided instead of trying to head to Wayne Manor, she'd visit Gotham past midnight. Hopefully she could catch Batman on patrol. Although Diana never backed down from anything, she'd rather confront him on the streets than his own house. The city already brought back enough painful memories for her and she didn't need to go to Wayne Manor as well to torture herself with the ghosts of a once happy life. But maybe, it wasn't a happy life to begin with. Maybe it was all a lie. Regardless though, she knew sitting inside an invisible jet wouldn't allow her to stumble upon Batman when he patrolled.

With caution, she opened the canopy and flew out. Instead of her wearing her usual Wonder Woman regalia, she opted to wear her pantsuit, with a light jacket. Her hair was tied up in a bun as usual and she put on her fake glasses for the extra effort. She came here for strictly business and maybe not showing up in her hero uniform would anger Batman less for violating his ban on League involvement in the city. As she gently touched the ground, she thought how weird it would be if anyone saw a woman dressed professionally appear out of nowhere on the roof and then glide off it. But as far as she was aware of, there was no one around. Deciding waiting and seeing was not the best approach, she opted to walk aimlessly around the city.

During her stroll, she made sure to take the darkest alleys and wrong turns on purpose. The best way to find Batman was to go for the darkest shadows. However, she had no luck spotting him yet. Despite her heightened senses, she had yet to see, hear, or detect Batman's presence. So she continued her quest of just walking down the streets, hoping to pick up any signs of him. Diana almost decided to give up after a few hours and perhaps try another method of reaching Batman instead when she heard footsteps following her. Not even bothering to turn around, Diana could hear the steps of five men walking behind her.

Without even increasing her pace, Diana continued to walk confidently down the street she was on. It was mostly abandoned and half the street lights were broken. She could still hear the men stalking her. She didn't bother to show any concern. When a turn came up, she made a left to go into an alley only to her disappointment, she found it to be a dead end. Feeling vexed at this point, she turned around to discover all of her followers blocking her exit. They were hoodlums of various sizes. Some were small and young while others looked older and had seen the inside of a prison cell at least once. They all leered at Diana like predators that had cornered their prey.

"Where you off to so late pretty girl?" the gang banger up front asked. He wore a moldy orange beanie and had three teeth missing. Diana noticed the shoddy tattoos on his neck. Rolling her eyes, Diana stood tall and crossed her arms.

"Please kindly step aside or you will regret it," Diana warned calmly. All the men hooted and hollered at that.

"She's got spunk!" a semi-obese thug cracked. "I call first round with her!"

She shot an icy blue glare at the fat one which did cause him to stop laughing.

"Last chance, move or face the consequences."

"You think you give the orders around here bitch? This is our turf!" the crook with the moldy beanie shouted. He pulled out a switchblade threateningly.

"No dame gets to walk down here without renderin' the proper services to us!" he threatened.

"Consider yourselves served then," another female voice called out. Before Diana or the criminals could react, a figure had jumped down behind him.

"It's Bat Bitch! Get her!"

The thugs all lunged at the newcomer who jumped back in the air with a kick. Her kick hit the obese one squarely in the jaw, causing him to cry and fall over in pain. In a panic, the leader took a swipe with his switchblade, but he might as well have been attempting to stab air. His hand was quickly caught by the young female vigilante and bent backwards. He cried in pain, but found it quickly muffled by her fist colliding with his mouth. Meanwhile, Diana stood on the sidelines to watch the scene unfold with interest. She had heard the rumors of a new vigilante operating in Gotham besides the Batman and Diana suspected this was the one. Whoever the woman was, she knew how to fight.

Although the beating of the gang didn't really qualify as a fight. Not even a minute and the masked woman had already defeated three of the thugs. She had just slammed the fourth one onto the ground, knocking him out. The last one, in fear, began to run straight into the direction of the dead end of the alley. As he passed by Diana, the Amazon calmly stuck her foot out and caused the runaway thug to trip. Before he could impact the ground, Diana had swung around and punched him in the back of the head. She didn't use her full strength, but just enough to make him go unconscious.

"Hey, I had that one!" the vigilante complained.

"Sure you did," Diana retorted. Now that the fighting had stopped, Diana could properly study the newcomer. She was definitely female. Her long blonde hair billowing out of the cowl gave her away. But her costume was different than what Diana remembered Barbara wearing as Batgirl. It was a lot more sinister looking and seemed to be made out of a more purple material. The Batsymbol on the suit was also larger. The woman behind the mask had sharp blue eyes that gave off the feelings of restrained anger and toughness forged by a need to survive.

"It is nice to meet you Batgirl," Diana greeted.

"Batwoman," the vigilante corrected.

"I'm sorry," Diana apologized and avoided the temptation to smirk. Something about this girl made Diana like her already.

"No need to apologize, _Wonder Woman_."

The Amazon stared back at Batwoman with mild surprise. Although Diana was well aware of her recognizable face, she thought the bun and glasses would've allowed her to keep a relatively low profile.

"I saw you appearing on that rooftop a few hours ago out of nowhere. When I saw you gliding down, I knew you had to be a meta. I've been following you the whole time and figured you were Wonder Woman about an hour ago. Those glasses don't really work."

"No, I guess they do not," Diana admitted and took them off. "You're a very sharp one aren't you?"

"Tell that to the big man. He's always complaining about me being brash."

At the mention of "big man," Diana flinched inwardly. Obviously, even if this newcomer operated on the streets of Gotham now, that meant Bruce was still around somewhere as well.

"Why are you here?" Batwoman asked suspiciously. "I'm pretty sure you're aware that the League agreed to not operate in Gotham?"

"I'm not here on behalf of the League, I'm here for something else," Diana explained. She took a step closer to Batwoman so she could lower her voice more.

"I'm here because I need help."

"If this is about everyone in the media thinking you're a murderer and you trying to clear your name, I can't help you."

Diana stared back at the Gotham vigilante in bewilderment. She already assessed Batwoman to be intelligent, but she had not anticipated her to know that much.

"Unlike the boss, I watch the news a lot," Batwoman quickly added on. "I figured that's why you were here. Trying to get someone to investigate something to prove Godfrey and the others wrong?"

Upon hearing that Bruce didn't watch the news that much made Diana feel a little relief. Perhaps with him not having as much knowledge as to what had transpired in the last few weeks, she could approach him on more even ground.

"For the record," Batwoman admitted. "I don't think you're a murderer. I know Godfrey and the others in the media are lying pieces of shit anyways."

"Thank you," Diana replied. It felt refreshing to have someone, even a complete stranger, give some nominal support.

"I wouldn't thank me," Batwoman shot back. "I'm still not going to take your case."

"I wouldn't come here if I didn't have a choice," Diana pleaded. "But I can't reach out to anyone else."

"Look Wonder Woman, you seem like a nice person. And I do believe you're innocent. But, I don't do _pro bono_ work. My investigations are strictly Gotham related."

"I didn't come here to ask for you honestly," Diana revealed. "I came here to actually ask _him_ to investigate this for me."

Batwoman let out a snort at that.

"You'd have a better chance convincing me to help you than him," Batwoman pointed out. "I know you and the others used to work with him, but did you forget he hates you guys? Like really hates you. I mean if you were all in a room with Hitler and-"

"You made your point," Diana replied quickly. "Yes, I'm aware of his dislike of people he calls metas. I do remember that falling out very clear. And honestly, I don't care much for him either."

"Be careful," Batwoman cautioned. "He's still my guy. And I don't take kindly to strangers talking smack about him."

"I meant no offense," Diana quickly said and tried to regain a diplomatic composure. "I'm aware of Bru-Batman's distrust of people like me. Our parting of the ways ten years ago was indeed rather tense. Regardless of the circumstances though, I need him and his skills."

"He's not going to help you fight back some rumors from the tabloids," Batwoman stated bluntly. "I do wish I can help you, but neither him nor I take on cases like this. It's not our style. Perhaps you can try a private eye?"

"This isn't just about smut in the press," Diana argued. "This goes deeper than that. There's a terrorist organization involved somehow."

Batwoman crossed her arms and cocked her head to indicate her interest.

"Terrorists you say?"

"Yes," Diana said, feeling a little relieved she finally seemed to at least to break through Batwoman's defensive wall. "There's an organization called the Crimson Flame that's behind this. They arranged the murder of Ambassador Vox and have threatened to harm Kasnia in some way. No one, including the authorities, are willing to believe me, but I know it's the truth. You and Batman may be my only hope in stopping them."

Batwoman thought over what Diana had asked before shaking her head.

"This still seems outside our lane. I mean, I know the old man used to do some international stuff like this before, but that was a lifetime ago. Between the pills and drinking, he barely can focus his energy on Gotham."

"I'm sorry, what drinking?" Diana asked in puzzlement. Never in her life did she see Bruce ever drink. And what did Batwoman mean by pills?

"Nothing," Batwoman quickly said. Her body language indicated to Diana that the vigilante had accidentally revealed more than she wanted to.

"Look, Wonder Woman. I do believe that whoever killed the ambassador had more reasons than you to do it, but I'm telling you the harsh truth. The old man's not going to take your case. You'd have better luck arguing with a wall."

"But perhaps you can-"

"Hey, leave me out of this!" Batwoman cried and put her hands up. "I don't really know what happened with you and the others that caused the falling out, but he's not going to change his mind. And I'm not going to waste my energy getting involved in whatever drama he has with you guys."

"Please," Diana whispered softly. "You don't understand. The Flame has targeted me personally. They nearly killed my friend and kidnapped someone close to me. I wouldn't come here if I didn't need your help. I'm begging you to at least help me figure out who these people are."

Quietly, Batwoman stood there as Diana took another step.

"You can tell Bruce that I'll leave and get out of his life again if he just helps me find the Flame. They've kidnapped a little girl and who knows what they're doing to her. I need to stop them and you two are my only hope."

Batwoman hesitated for a bit, before letting out a sardonic laugh.

"Man, you know how to pull at the heartstrings lady."

"So you'll bring the case to him?"

"Not yet."

"Will you at least look it over?"

"I didn't say that either. I think we should take your case to someone else though."

"Who?"

"The one person in this city who knows the old man better than any of us. The old comish."

"You mean Commissioner Gordon?"

"Yep. Why don't we go see him right now? Perhaps he can solve the case for you or see if it's worth your trouble to bring it to Bruce."

On one hand, Diana didn't feel comfortable with involving someone else into her investigation of the Crimson Flame. But then again, perhaps the retired Gotham City Police Commissioner could help her seek Bruce's aid.

"Are you sure he'll be up this hour?"

"Man's always awake, trust me," Batwoman promised.

"Very well," Diana acquiesced. "Please take me to him Batwoman."

"Call me Steph."

* * *

><p>"So you think these terrorists involved with this 'Flame' group aren't only behind the murder of a high profile ambassador, but also framing you in the media while kidnapping or killing people close to you?" Gordon asked as he eased into his armchair.<p>

"I'll admit," Diana said reluctantly. "It's difficult to believe. But I promise you, I speak the truth."

"I didn't say I don't believe you," Gordon reminded. "Just pointing out how crazy this sounds."

"I agree," Stephanie chimed in as she took off her cowl and began to munch on a bag of chips. Diana shot her a glare and the teenager shrugged her shoulders.

"What?" she quipped with a mouth half-full. "You got to admit, this sounds like a plot to a badly written political thriller."

"Be that as it may," Gordon added. "I've seen stranger cases that'd make a cheap paperback novel barf."

Diana stood in the moldy apartment while feeling uncomfortable. Stephanie may've been able to interact with the old man with ease, but Diana got the feeling he had been sizing her up since she arrived. She could feel his old gaze piercing through her soul as if to determine she was worthy enough to seek his counsel.

"So you think Bruce is the only one who can help you catch these terrorists?" Gordon asked. The Amazon stared back at him without a response.

"It's okay, we're all friends here," Stephanie assured. "We all here know the boss man's identity."

"I did come here to seek out Bruce's aid," Diana reluctantly explained. "Yet, I'm more skeptical now that he could even solve this after I've heard about his personal problems."

Gordon shot a look at Stephanie who shrugged guiltily.

"It was an offhand remark!" Stephanie complained. Coughing, Gordon took off his thick glasses to wipe them.

"Yes, Bruce has seen better days," the old man acknowledged before he put his glasses back on. "In his age, I'm afraid he's had to rely on certain things to ease the pain."

"So it is true then? He's become an addict?"

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge," Gordon cautioned. "Do you know what that man's been through? Not all of us are gifted with eternal youth."

Silently, Diana just stood there and stared back at Gordon. Her hearing could detect Stephanie's heartbeat picking up nervously. And to think she thought her meeting with Bruce would be tense.

"I'm not here to judge," Diana carefully replied. "I'm just here to seek his help. However, I want to know if I'd just be wasting my time by going to him. I don't want to give him this case and he's not operating at the best of his abilities."

"We all get a little slower in age," Gordon grumbled. "Some of us find our own ways to cope."

"I don't see you trying to kill yourself faster," Stephanie shot back. Gordon glanced at her briefly before looking back at Diana.

"I can assure you though, despite his age and development of certain habits to help him cope with his problems, Bruce is still the greatest detective I know."

"So you're saying I should take this to him?"

"Not necessarily. Bruce doesn't operate outside of Gotham anymore. Hasn't chased a case that led outside the city in over five years."

"Probably because we already got plenty of crime here," Stephanie muttered bitterly.

"International crime and terrorism," Gordon continued. "Is just not what he looks into anymore. After bringing down the Society of Shadows, he focused on solely looking inward. I'm afraid he might not be the best option to investigate anything involving a secret international terrorist cult."

"He's not the best option," Diana agreed. "But he's my only option. No other agency or investigative institution will dare to pursue anything I offer. At least I know he won't be influenced by an overbearing law or merciless media."

"But like I said earlier," Gordon reminded. "He's made it a point for almost the last decade to only focus on domestic crime. I'm afraid even if he harbored no ill will between you and the Justice League, he would still refuse to take the case."

"Easy for you to say when you haven't even seen the case yourself," Diana cut in darkly.

"Fair enough," Gordon said calmly and he leaned forward. "Do you have some sort of evidence or paperwork to show me?"

Diana stared back at Gordon with distrust. However, Stephanie had stepped in between them and looked at Diana before the Amazon could think of a response.

"Hey, if you want him to give you that ringing endorsement, I suggest you show him what you have. We're all on the same team here aren't we?"

Pausing to think over Stephanie's point, Diana eventually relented and opened up her satchel to pull out the large binder Shayera had left her. She placed it in the elderly man's hands.

"Hmmmm," Gordon hummed in interest as he skimmed through the file. "Let's see here. Zoroastrianism…ancient cults…assassins…"

Uncomfortably, Diana stood there with Stephanie next to her as they watched the old man read random samplings of the files to himself out loud. Just when Diana began to wonder whether it was worth coming here at all, Gordon's eyes suddenly bulged.

"What?" Stephanie asked eagerly.

"I-uh-nothing!" Gordon denied. He suddenly slammed the entire binder closed and stood up.

"Bruce won't be able to help you at all with this," Gordon dismissed in a rushed voice. "I regret that you had to waste your time out here Wonder-I mean Madame Ambassador. You're probably better off seeking someone else's help with this."

"What is it?" Diana demanded. "Did you see something?"

"I didn't see anything other than a dead end!" Gordon snapped. And with a sudden breath of life that surprised Diana, he forced the binder into her hand.

"It's getting late for me. I hate to be rude, but I need to ask you to leave," Gordon urged.

"What about Bruce?"

"He won't be able to find anything on this case, trust me," Gordon assured as he attempted to calm his tone down although it sounded forced. "In fact, I'm sure nothing in that binder would interest him at all. Save yourself the time and pain and avoid bringing this to him."

"How else am I going to stop the Flame?" Diana asked angrily.

"I'd look at other avenues," Gordon suggested. "I'm afraid Bruce can't help you though."

Diana was surprised to find Gordon had somehow ushered her to his own balcony.

"I'm truly sorry we couldn't be helpful, Madame Ambassador," Gordon apologized despite Diana not believing he was sincere in the slightest. She wanted to complain further, but she made eye contact with Stephanie who behind Gordon's back mouthed to the Amazon "We'll talk later."

"It's alright," Diana replied in a calmer voice to convince the old man she had seemingly taken his advice. "I'm used to disappointment lately. Perhaps I can reach out to an old friend in the NSA."

"I wish you the best," Gordon encouraged. Despite what had occurred earlier, Diana oddly this time did believe the sincerity of his words. Feeling defeated and confused, Diana turned her back and exited out of the balcony by flying out into the night sky. Gordon watched as she flew away and then looked at Stephanie.

"What the hell?" Stephanie complained. "What's going on here?"

"You listen to me," Gordon whispered in an uncharacteristically harsh voice. So unfamiliar was this tone to Stephanie.

"I know you're thinking of letting her take this case to Bruce-"

"You don't know that!"

"This isn't the time to play your games!" Gordon hissed. Stephanie locked up at that.

"What's going on?" she asked nervously. "Did you see something in one of those files?"

"I know you probably won't listen to me. You never do half the time. Just this once, please take my advice without any question. Don't bring this case to Bruce."

"Why? I don't see what the issue is."

"That's because you have the privilege of not being burdened by the past," Gordon whispered ominously.

"So this case is connected to Bruce's past somehow?" Stephanie asked curiously. "You mean he might actually know who is behind this Crimson Flame shit?"

"I'm asking, no begging, that you keep this away from Bruce as far as possible. Convince Wonder Woman to go somewhere else, I don't care."

"You're telling me to do things, but not giving me the reason why," Stephanie whined. "I think I deserve an explanation."

"Some things are better left buried and forgotten," Gordon justified. "If you give him this case, you're just going to open up old wounds."

"But it could-"

"Promise me you won't take this to him!"

The young woman just stared back at the now crazed old man. She swallowed for a bit and couldn't think of a response. Instead, she turned around and walked away. Before Gordon could protest, she already had taken a dive off the fire escape and shot her grapple. In remorse, the older man watched her disappear into the night.

"You always picked the stubborn ones Bruce," Gordon muttered to himself ruefully.

* * *

><p>"Well, that was kind of weird," Batwoman admitted as she walked on the rooftop. Wonder Woman stood next to her as the two women watched the dawn breaking over the city.<p>

"Yes, what do you think that was about?"

"No idea. But whatever Gordon saw in the file, it spooked him. He's worried about Bruce seeing something and it 'opening up old wounds.' His words not mine."

"Then surely Bruce must know something that can help me figure all this out," Diana offered eagerly. For the first time since the murder of Vox, a little glimmer of hope had emerged in uncovering the mystery of the Crimson Flame.

"I wouldn't get too optimistic yet," Batwoman advised. "Being around Bruce kind of made me develop a permanent sense of pessimism."

"You have no idea," Diana shot back. Quietly, the two females watched the sun rise over the city. It was an oddly red sky today for the morning. An almost crimson color Diana thought. It made her feel even more nervous than she was before.

"So did you guys like used to date or something?"

Diana looked back at the vigilante and gave a slight glare.

"That's a definite yes," Batwoman chuckled to herself. "Always figured something happened between you and him. Bruce always seems to get the angriest whenever you're on the news compared to the others."

"That's comforting," Diana responded sarcastically. Before arriving to Gotham, she thought the doubts in her decision couldn't get any larger. How wrong she was.

"So do you think I should just cut my losses and leave?"

"Actually no," Batwoman admitted. "In fact, talking to Gordon ironically has convinced me you should bring this to Bruce."

Diana looked back at Batwoman in confusion. So far every person, except Shayera, had told her to avoid Bruce. Yet, now it seemed Batwoman had reversed her stance.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because despite the cynic in me, I believe there's something in those notes that Bruce can help you with. He might not solve the case for you completely, but at least he could point you in the right direction or give you a much needed lead."

"What about what the commissioner said about the case bringing back some painful memories for Bruce?"

"Honestly," Batwoman whispered. "I think Gordon's been too soft on Bruce lately. They're old 'war buddies' so Gordon's always willing to coddle Bruce and give him the benefit of the doubt. Personally, I think Bruce needs some tough love right now."

"Tough love?"

"Yep. The drinking and popping pills aren't his only problems. Perhaps opening up those old wounds would actually be good for him in the long term, especially if it's coming from you."

"So you think I should go see him?"

"I think you should go see him now. Come on, I'll let you in the cave."

* * *

><p><em>Wayne Manor-2009<em>

_Barbara stared at the Batcomputer screen helplessly. It had been a few hours since Bruce had suddenly just left in the middle of the day with the Batmobile while out of costume. She and Dick tried to use the tracker in the Batmobile to locate him, but it appeared Bruce had disabled it. At least they noticed he seemed to be traveling in the general direction of the ruins of Arkham Asylum. For the life of her, Barbara couldn't fathom why he would ever go back there out of all places. Especially after what had happened to Tim._

_VRRRRROOOOOOOOMMMM!_

_Jolting at the sound of a motorcycle, Barbara turned around to find Dick speeding into the cave on his bike. He took off his helmet and gave her a frustrated look._

"_No luck finding him?" she asked, bracing herself for disappointment._

"_He was at that ruins originally," Dick explained. "I saw the fresh Batmobile tracks. However, he was long gone by the time I got there. I've spent the last few hours trying to pick up his trail while failing miserably. I'm beat."_

"_We have to find him," Barbara urged. "You saw how he was. He's not in the right frame of mind."_

"_What do you want me to do? Shine the Batsignal above the house?"_

_VVVRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOMMMM!_

_Both turned to see the Batmobile speeding towards them. Letting out a sigh of relief, Barbara got up. Before Dick could complain further, the Batmobile canopy opened and out stumbled Bruce._

"_Where have you been?" Barbara asked with worry and she ran up to him. Immediately she smelled something foul._

"_Why are you covered in dirt?" Barbara asked. She had just noticed Bruce's entire pants and half his shirt were stained with dirt as if he had been rolling in the mud. The signs of recent blisters on his hands indicated he had been doing some hard work._

"_Bruce?" Barbara asked with worry when he didn't respond. He had a grim look on his face and she couldn't tell if he was angry, sad, or both._

"_What the hell is going on?" Dick complained as he stepped forward. "Where the hell were you?"_

_Bruce snapped his head into the direction of Dick and gave an intimidating glare that even stopped the youth in his tracks._

"_The night has just started. I need you two to go out on patrol."_

"_But-"_

"_I need to study some leads," Bruce interrupted. "I need you two to patrol."_

_Of course Dick wanted to get the last word in, but Barbara grabbed him tightly to stop him._

"_Of course Bruce. We'll keep you informed on the radio."_

_In a matter of minutes, the two young adults had gotten dressed and left the Batcave to patrol the city, leaving Bruce to himself in his thoughts. He slowly walked towards his chair and took a seat. Right away, his eyes spotted a prescription bottle sitting on the dashboard waiting for him. He had forgotten about those pills. Despite telling the doctor he wasn't interested in taking pain pills, Bruce had taken them home with him on accident. At first, Bruce believed he should just throw them out, but at the same time, he could feel the temptation to take just one to dull the senses a little. All that work he had done the last few hours had made his body exceptionally sore, especially his leg. _

_Extending a hand, he almost grabbed it but stopped himself. He couldn't afford distractions right now. Priority was that he needed to focus on the confirmation he had received. After over twenty years of being the Batman, for the first time in his life, he wasn't happy being right on a lead. Cracking his neck, he slowly turned the chair around to face the monitor and began to type at the keyboard and input the new information he had discovered._

* * *

><p><em>Wayne Manor-2018<em>

Bruce's eyes fluttered open. He looked over at the clock and discovered he had only gotten three hours of sleep at best. Yet, despite still feeling tired and worn out, his active mind made him feel like he was fully awake. Also it didn't help that his leg was sending signals to his nervous system. Hissing in pain, he hobbled out of bed and grabbed his cane. Quickly, he put on his robe. The sun was rising so that meant Stephanie should be back. He wanted her to debrief him on last night's patrol before she went to take a nap.

Swallowing his morning dose of pills, he limped all his way downstairs, but stopped in the kitchen to pour himself a small shot of whiskey to drink. Downing it in one gulp, he closed his lips tight and shut his eyes as he let the warmth penetrate through his sinuses. Unconsciously, he felt the flask in his robe and realized it was still half full, meaning he wouldn't need to refill it yet. Making his way to the grandfather clock, he slid it aside and walked his way down the stairs into the cave. As he got about halfway there, he could hear the sounds of the shower below. He'd talk to Stephanie as soon as she was done cleaning herself.

Slowly, he reached the bottom and made his way to the Batcomputer. Sitting down in his chair, he turned the monitor on and looked over some files he had opened last night before he realized something was out of place. His senses didn't pick it up at first, but they had noticed it now.

Someone else was in the cave.

In surprise, he turned the chair around to find someone standing in the center of the cave and looking back at him with a familiar face. It was a face he had not seen in person for a very long time. She had a sheepish look as she stared into his eyes to indicate she was uncomfortable to be there.

"Hello Bruce," Diana greeted softly.

* * *

><p><strong>Up next, an entire chapter in the past detailing the rise and fall of a relationship destined for failure. <strong>


End file.
